LASU has sacked two top lecturers over sexual harassment, financial fraud, and student mistreatment allegations.
The university says their actions violated ethics, endangered students, and tarnished its academic reputation.
Lagos State University (LASU) has terminated the appointments of two senior lecturers after investigations found them guilty of serious misconduct involving sexual harassment, financial irregularities, and professional misbehavior.
The university’s Governing Council took the decision during its 143rd statutory meeting held on Friday. The action followed a formal complaint by Taofeek Adekunle, a member of the Take It Back Movement, an advocacy group. In the petition, Adekunle accused the lecturers of engaging in inappropriate behavior towards students and violating financial rules.
The affected staff members are Professor Olatunji Tajudeen Fasasi Abanikanda, who served as Dean of the Epe Campus and was part of the Department of Agricultural Science, and Khadeejat Kareem-Ibraheem, the Coordinator of the Department of Animal Sciences at the School of Agriculture.
According to a statement released by LASU’s Registrar and Secretary to Council, Emmanuel Fanu, both lecturers were found guilty of offenses that go against the university’s ethical code and expectations for staff behavior.
The statement explained that Professor Abanikanda’s dismissal was based on multiple serious violations. These included putting 400-level students through harsh and unacceptable conditions during their farm training. Students were reportedly made to stay on the university farm from 6:30 a.m. until 10:00 p.m. without being given access to food, water, or proper shelter. The statement noted that this continued even during heavy rainfall, putting students at risk.
The professor was also found guilty of sexually harassing female students, using offensive language and threats against both students and colleagues, and collecting money from members of the university without proper approval.
The statement reads: “Dean, School of Agriculture, Epe Campus, Prof. Olatunji Tajudeen Fasasi Abanikanda, was dismissed over multiple allegations, including: Subjecting 400 Level students of the School of Agriculture to inhumane treatment by keeping them on the farm from 6:30 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. without break, food, and water even during torrential rainfall that lasted between 4:45 p.m. to after 6:00 p.m., an action prejudicial to the security of the University.
“Sexual harassment of female students of the same school. Subjecting staff members and students to emotional and physical trauma using threats, curses, derogatory utterances, and profane expletives on them, an act unbecoming of a public officer of the University. Unauthorized collection of money from staff and students of the School of Agriculture, contrary to university regulations.”
Kareem-Ibraheem was removed from her position due to serious financial misconduct and failure to carry out her duties. She was found to have diverted over ten million naira earned from the sale of farm products. Instead of depositing the funds into the university’s official account, she allegedly paid the money into her own personal account.
According to the statement, both individuals violated the 2017 Conditions of Service (as amended) and acted in ways that seriously undermined the values of the institution. Their conduct, it added, threatened the university’s commitment to academic integrity, accountability, and student welfare.
LASU emphasized that such behavior would not be tolerated, and that the disciplinary action was necessary to preserve the trust and standards the university is known for.
