A 20-year-old female undergraduate student (name withheld) has accused a lecturer at the University of Lagos, Akoka, Dr. Kadiri Akeem Babalola, an Associate Professor of Botany, UNILAG, of rape.
The undergraduate said the incident occurred when she visited the lecturer in the office to sort out issues about her results.
A non-governmental organisation, Inclusive Social Welfare and Empowerment Foundation, where the victim reported the case, said rather than the lecturer attending to the undergraduate’s result issues, he allegedly raped her on August 16, 2023.
It was gathered that InclusiveSWEF reported the case to the Gender Unit of the state police command and through the OC Gender, the state CP, Idowu Owohunwa, issued a warrant of arrest for the lecturer through the state High Court and involved the Vice Chancellor of the university.
The state Police Public Relations Officer, Benjamin Hundeyin, confirmed the incident, saying, “He is to appear in court in the coming days.”
Reacting, the spokesperson for UNILAG, Adejoke Alaga-Ibraheem, said that the university was aware of an investigation involving an employee of the university.
She said, “UNILAG Management, on August 28, received a letter from the Nigeria Police Force, inviting an employee of the university for questioning. The employee was immediately informed of the development and advised to comply.
“On August 29, the employee complied. While we are not yet privy to the full details of the incident that led to the arrest of the employee, we are fully aware that the investigation is ongoing and we are cooperating with security agencies to ensure that the matter is resolved in the interest of justice.”
