The Governing Council of Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi, has dismissed a senior lecturer, Dr Usman Aliyu, over allegations of sexual harassment involving a married postgraduate student, Mrs Kamila Aliyu, Alexa News Nigeria reports.
The decision was announced in the university’s official newsletter, ATBU Herald (Vol. 39 No. 5, April 22), following the 96th regular council meeting held on 11 April 2025.
According to the publication obtained by our correspondent on Thursday, the Governing Council approved Dr Aliyu’s dismissal based on the findings of the Senior Staff Disciplinary Committee, which concluded that the lecturer was guilty of misconduct.
The dismissal letter stated: “Following the report of the Senior Staff Disciplinary Committee that found you guilty of an indecent relationship involving a student of the university, Mrs Kamila Rufai Aliyu of the Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Engineering Technology, the council has subsequently approved your dismissal from the services of the university with immediate effect.”
Mrs Aliyu had, last year, petitioned the university, accusing Dr Aliyu of sexual harassment and alleging that he threatened her academic progress if she did not comply with his demands.
In response to the allegations, Dr Aliyu filed a defamation lawsuit against the student, the department, and the university.
Despite the lawsuit, the university proceeded with internal investigations.
The council’s action was based on “Chapter 3, Item F, I (o) of the Senior Staff Conditions of Service of the University,” as noted in a statement released by the Senior Deputy Registrar, Senior Staff Establishment, Alhaji Abdullahi Suleiman.
The dismissal letter also instructed the lecturer to return all university property:
“You are hereby directed to hand over all the property of the university in your possession to the Head of Department and your identification card to the Chief Security Officer of the university,” the directive stated.