By Correspondent in Abuja
The family of the survivor in the 2015 sexual harassment case involving suspended UNICAL Law Dean, Prof. Cyril Ndifon, has welcomed the court judgment convicting and sentencing him to five years in prison.
In a statement issued on Monday in Abuja, Chief Offiong Etim said the ruling by Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court, Abuja, affirmed what the family had always known about the incident.
Justice Omotosho had, on Nov. 17, found Ndifon guilty of sexual harassment and abuse of office, ruling that the ICPC proved its case beyond reasonable doubt.
Ndifon was sentenced to two years on count one and five years on count two, to run concurrently—without an option of fine. His co-accused, Mr. Sunny Anyanwu, was discharged and acquitted.
Etim said the judgment brings closure to a painful journey that began in 2015, describing how the family endured years of humiliation, stigma, and a public campaign aimed at discrediting their daughter.
He recalled that after securing a police exoneration at the time, Ndifon held a thanksgiving service celebrating his “vindication,” where the victim’s account was publicly dismissed.
“Our daughter told the truth. And truth, though suppressed, cannot be erased,” Etim said, praising her courage.
He criticised individuals and institutions that protected Ndifon instead of safeguarding students, saying their actions deepened the victim’s trauma.
The family thanked the ICPC for pursuing the case, and acknowledged those who stood for truth despite pressure.
Etim said the judgment represents justice not only for their daughter and the protected witness, TKJ, but for all students who suffered in silence.
He expressed hope that the ruling will lead to stronger protection for students and greater accountability in Nigeria’s academic institutions.
Edited by Dada Ahmed.
