Suspected gunmen have kidnapped the Dean of the Law Faculty at the University of Calabar (UNICAL), Prof. Cyril Ndifon, who was accused of sexually harassing students. He was abducted at his Akpabuyo residence in the Akpabuyo local government area of Cross River State.
The law professor was kidnapped in the early hours of today, Thursday, October 5, 2023.
A family source said gunmen numbering about 10 stormed their residence located at Akpabuyo, on the outskirts of Calabar, about 1 a.m. and whisked him away.
The source said: The incident happened between the hours of 12:00 and 1:00 am on Thursday while we were asleep when we just heard a bang at our door and a voice shouting we should open the door or else they would blow the door open.
“And in a split second, ten heavily armed men jumped over the fence into the compound, shot at the sitting room door, and entered.
“On entering, they went straight to Oga, broke into his room, dragged him into a waiting van, and zoomed off to an unknown destination.”
Confirming the kidnapping in a telephone interview, Mrs. Ndifon said, “It is true that my husband was kidnapped this early morning by heavy-armed men, and I pray he comes back alive.
“I don’t know what he has done to deserve all this treatment. I don’t just know what to do.”
Recall that on August 14, 2023, faculty of law students staged a protest in front of the V.C.’s office, accusing the former dean of sexual harassment, extortion, and highhandedness, among others.
Following the protest, the university authorities set up an investigative panel to probe allegations of improprieties leveled against the suspended Dean of Law, Prof. Cyril Ndifon.
The investigative panel last week submitted its report to the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Florence Obi, expressing confidence that the report would be useful to the university and serve as a reference point for other universities.
She assured that the report would be presented to the ministers of education and women’s affairs, as well as the Executive Secretary of the National University Commission (NUC), as delivered by the panel: “nothing added, nothing removed”.
