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Sexual Harassment Attracts 7 Years Imprisonment, ICPC Warns

Published

2 years ago

November 23, 2023

Editor

The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, (ICPC), says sexual harassment is a corrupt practice that attracts an imprisonment term of not less than seven years.

The Secretary to the Commission, Mr Clifford Oparaodu, gave the warning in Abuja at a “One Day Sensitization Workshop on Sexual Harassment in Tertiary Institutions.”

Oparaodu said that the ICPC regarded sexual harassment as a corrupt practice; hence, there was a need for victims to know their rights and how to seek justice.

He expressed concern that sexual gratification had become a form of “illegal tender” in many institutions.

“Sexual harassment is a form of corruption.

He said that it is a deviation from the norm for an official to use his/her office or position to demand, receive, obtain, or attempt to obtain any form of sexual gratification for him to perform his duties.

“Ideally, official duties ought to be carried out with integrity, good conscience, and diligence without the expectation of any unlawful benefit,” he said.

According to him, Section 2(f) of the ICPC Act states that gratification includes any service or favour of any description …” Section 8 of the ICPC Act says:

“Any person who corruptly asks for, receives, or obtains any property or benefit of any kind for himself or any other person; is guilty of an offence of official corruption and is liable to imprisonment for seven years.

“It is pertinent to note that unlawful benefits are not always pecuniary, and it is disheartening that sexual gratification has become a form of “illegal tender” in many institutions.

“Staff members have been found to use their office to demand and receive sexual benefits from other staff and students in exchange for good grades or other favours,” he said.

Oparaodu said that it was unfortunate that, due to the fear of stigmatisation or further victimisation, many targets of such demands find themselves forced to succumb.

“This is in order to avoid dire consequences and denial of benefits to which they may ordinarily even be entitled.

“The culture of silence has allowed sexual harassment to thrive, but the ICPC is working relentlessly to ensure that, with sensitization and appropriate policy implementation, this culture will gradually change,” he said.

He said that the ICPC is determined to put a stop to this and has initiated the Sexual Harassment Unit with a focus on the prevention of sexual harassment in tertiary and secondary institutions.

Oparaodu said that this was to address the issue of sexual gratification and abuse of office and power by officials.

He explained that the purpose of the workshop was to educate students about how to easily contact the ICPC, report incidents of sexual harassment, and gather evidence in a way that will support the commission’s investigations.

In a paper he presented on “Sexual harassment, an offence against the individual/a crime against society, Mr Adenekan Shogunle, Deputy Director, Proceed of Crime Department, ICPC, urged participants to regard the fight as a collective one.

Shogunle said that youths should not accept sexual harassment, saying that the menace needed to be stopped to ensure the safety of educational institutions for learning.

“What is essentially a social disorder has become normal in many tertiary institutions.

“Absence of effective grievance remedial mechanisms and a prevalent culture of silence, social tolerance has left many female students at the mercy of rabid predators.

“In a bid for justice, survivors are taking matters into their own hands, naming perpetrators and sharing experiences on social media,’’ he said.

Mrs Peace Aroch, Assistant Director, Legal Unit, ICPC, said in a paper that sexual harassment had psychological implications, which had to do with the mental or emotional state of the survivor.

Aroch said people sexually harassed commonly experienced stress, anxiety, depression, and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).

She said that sexual harassment was still being underreported in spite of its social media posts.

The director said that sexual harassment was still being underreported because of issues of trust, security, fear, and poor financial standing of survivors.

Aroch called on the private and public sectors to establish their workplace sexual harassment policies.

She said that they could make recourse to the ICPC’s sexual harassment policy to prepare their own.

Policy Lead Gender, Mobile Initiative, Sarah Egbo, in a paper urged institution leaders to demonstrate a strong commitment to addressing sexual harassment.

Egbo also called for the involvement of the entire institution in policy development and implementation and to ensure transparency in reporting, investigation, and decision-making.

She encouraged collaboration with local organisations, law enforcement, and other stakeholders for a coordinated response.
(NAN)

News

FG Security Agency, Nigerian Army Move To Tackle Illicit Small Arms, Light Weapons

Published

6 hours ago

August 27, 2025

Editor

The National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons (NCCSALW), Northeast Zonal Centre, under the Office of the National Security Adviser to the President has partnered with the Nigerian Army to fight the menace of the proliferation of illicit small arms and light weapons in the country.

Speaking during a courtesy visit to Brig.-Gen. U.V Unachukwu, the General Officer Commanding (GOC) 7 Division, Nigerian Army Headquarters in Maiduguri on Wednesday, Maj-:Gen Abubakar Adamu (Rtd), the Northeast Zonal Coordinator, NCCSALW Northeast Zonal Centre, said the collaboration was necessary in mopping up Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW) in the Zone.

While stating the negative impact the proliferation of illicit SALW has on peaceful coexistence in the nation and its socio-economic activities, Adamu pledged the Centre’s continuous cooperation with the Division especially in intelligence sharing which he said, was paramount in preventing the proliferation of this SALW in the country.

“One of our responsibilities is to prevent the proliferation of small Arms and Light Weapons and to also enlighten the people. We are a multi agency department and we have the police, the DSS, and also retired military officers as well as serving military officers.

“We have been empowered to receive all illicit small arms and light weapons that have been retrieved from all the agencies and we are the people responsible to destroy them

“We are also the only organization empowered to prosecute gun runners and all the people that have been arrested in terms of dealing with small arms and light weapons.

“What we are doing is to visit major stakeholders and to also share intelligence, information and to collaborate because we know without the armed forces, there is no way we can eradicate the proliferation of small Arms and Light Weapons,” he said.

He further commended the Nigerian Army for always being at the forefront in ensuring that country is safe for all to live in, promising to strengthen the partnership in order to further make the country a better place for all to live.

Responding, Brig.-Gen. U.V Unachukwu promised the Division’s support to the Zonal Centre so as to achieve its mandate while recalling the pass records of the Zonal Director as a result-oriented senior officer.

He also commended the Centre for working hand in hand with all the security agencies, traditional rulers and key stakeholders, adding that this would go a long way in mopping up and tackling the proliferation of illicit Small Arms and Light Weapons in the country.

News

Arrears: AAU Management Replies ASUU Over

Published

7 hours ago

August 27, 2025

Editor

The management of Ambrose Alli University Ekpoma has responded to a recent publication by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), AAU Chapter, alleging that the Acting Vice-Chancellor, Professor Sunday Olowo Samuel, claimed to have cleared all staff arrears.

A statement issued by Otunba Mike Aladenika, Principal Assistant Registrar and Head of Information, Protocol, and Public Relations, described the claim by ASUU as far from the truth.

Aladenika said the Acting Vice-Chancellor’s 31-paragraph address to journalists did not state that all outstanding salary arrears had been paid.

He noted that instead, the VC emphasized the administration’s commitment to gradual liquidation of these arrears.

According to the imagemaker of the university, the Vice-Chancellor, in his speech, rather highlighted prompt payment of salaries and pensions as a hallmark of his administration, and noted that the university had implemented the new minimum wage of N70,000 as soon as it was approved.

Aladenika questioned where ASUU got their information from, given the Acting Vice-Chancellor’s clear statements.

“It’s worth noting that when the current administration took over, ASUU members were owed over 35 months in arrears.

“However, the debt has since been reduced as those owed 35 months and above were paid 10 months emblock in the 1st tranch, while in the 2nd tranch, those owe 20-months and above were also paid 10 months salary arrears, emblock. Apart from individuals among them who got paid on personal requests, the payment of the backlogs is still ongoing as various applications on salary arrears are been attended to, demonstrating the management’s commitment to gradual payment.

“On the issue of the 13th month salary, it’s essential to clarify that this has never been a right, but rather a subject of tripartite negotiations between workers, management, and the state government. There has been no prior agreement or understanding on this matter, and it has always been a point of negotiation for our unions.

“It’s worth noting that the university has never paid 13 months’ salary in a 12-month financial year. However, this doesn’t mean that the management is opposed to negotiations on the matter. Rather, we believe that it’s essential to approach such discussions in a constructive manner, rather than using it as a bargaining chip for blackmail.

“The management is open to negotiations, but we urge all parties to engage in good faith and avoid misrepresentations.”

News

US Court Sentences Osun Monarch To Prison Over $4.2m Fraud

Published

7 hours ago

August 27, 2025

Editor

A United States District Court has sentenced the Apetu of Ipetumodu in Osun State, Oba Joseph Oloyede, to four years and eight months imprisonment over a $4.2million COVID-19 relief fraud scandal.

Justice Christopher Boyko while delivering the sentence on Tuesday, also ordered the monarch to pay $4.2 million in restitution.

According Osun Defender, the monarch was also ordered to pay the sum of $195,000 to the IRS for filing a false tax return.

Justice Boyko also ordered Oloyede to forfeit $96,000 in money seized from his bank account and his home on Foote Road that he bought in 2021 for $130,000.

Boyko said Oloyede was a “very smart guy who did a lot of stupid things.”

Oba Oloyede, a US-based accountant and information system expert, was appointed the new Apetu in July 2019.

The monarch was arrested alongside alongside Nigerian pastor, Edward Oluwasanmi in early 2024 for their roles in a scheme to fraudulently obtain $4.2m in COVID-19 relief funds.

The two men were charged with 13 counts of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, conspiracy to defraud, money laundering, and engaging in monetary transactions in criminally derived property.