The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Nnamdi Azikiwe University (UNIZIK) Branch, and concerned youths of Ogbunike community have condemned the reported assault, stripping and public humiliation of a university lecturer, Prof. Ifeanyi Sunny Odinye, following allegations of sexual exploitation involving a student.
The condemnation followed the circulation on social media of a video showing Prof. Odinye, Head of the Department of Chinese Studies at UNIZIK and reportedly the first indigenous professor of Chinese Language in Nigeria and Africa, being physically assaulted and stripped by a group of persons on the university campus.
In separate statements, ASUU-UNIZIK and the concerned youths of Ogbunike described the incident as unacceptable, insisting that allegations of misconduct must be subjected to proper investigation rather than resolved through mob action.
The ASUU-UNIZIK Chairperson, Innocent Nnubia, said the union was deeply concerned about the development, particularly the alleged escalation of the matter into physical assault without prior investigation by the appropriate authorities.
He stressed that while the union did not condone misconduct, abuse, harassment or inappropriate conduct towards students or any member of the university community, it would not support taking the law into one’s hands.
“An allegation, no matter how serious, must be investigated by the appropriate authorities, and every person deserves the opportunity to be heard before judgment is pronounced,” Nnubia said.
He said the union’s position should not be interpreted as an attempt to shield Prof. Odinye or any other person from accountability, explaining that ASUU was advocating due process and the integrity of institutional procedures.
According to him, if the allegation against the lecturer is established after a proper investigation, the appropriate authorities should take the necessary action in accordance with the law, university regulations and disciplinary procedures.
The union chairman also urged lecturers to exercise greater vigilance, restraint and professionalism in their interactions with students, noting that members of the academic community occupy positions of responsibility and authority.
He advised lecturers to channel disagreements, disciplinary issues and misunderstandings with students through established institutional mechanisms rather than allowing them to degenerate into confrontation.
Similarly, the concerned youths of Ogbunike community, in a statement signed by their convener, Chief Okey Nwosu, described the incident as “jungle justice” and condemned what they called the mob attack and humiliation of their kinsman.
The group said no allegation, whether proven or unproven, justified mob action against any person, stressing that every citizen was entitled to a fair hearing before a competent authority.
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They described Prof. Odinye as an accomplished academic who had devoted decades to teaching, mentoring students and advancing the study of the Chinese language in Nigeria and beyond.
The community youths said they were demanding a full-scale and transparent investigation to establish the circumstances surrounding the allegation and the subsequent assault.
They demanded the immediate arrest and prosecution of those who participated in the alleged assault, as well as a thorough and impartial investigation into the underlying allegation by the appropriate university and security authorities.
They also called for urgent and continuing medical attention for Prof. Odinye and adequate measures to guarantee his safety.
The group, however, said it would not prejudge the allegation against the lecturer, urging all parties, including social media users, to exercise restraint until the investigation was concluded.
“We will not prejudge the facts, and we expect the same restraint from others, including on social media, until the investigation is complete,” the statement said.
The Ogbunike youths said the community stood firmly behind Prof. Odinye while awaiting the outcome of investigations, adding that it expected the university and security agencies to act swiftly, fairly and transparently.
ASUU-UNIZIK, meanwhile, appealed to its members to remain calm and refrain from inflammatory statements, speculation or actions capable of further complicating the situation.
The union said it would engage relevant authorities and make efforts to establish the root cause and circumstances of the incident.
Both statements converged on the need for accountability if wrongdoing is established but insisted that justice must be pursued through lawful institutional procedures rather than mob action.
“Justice must be served, but justice must also be done through due process,” the ASUU-UNIZIK chairman said.
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