The Minister for Women Affairs, Uju Kennedy-Ohanenye, has reaffirmed her commitment to defending and advancing the rights and welfare of Nigerian women, including the pursuit of justice when these rights are violated, in the wake of the criticism that has followed her leaked audio regarding the University of Calabar (UNICAL) sexual harassment case involving the Dean of the Faculty of Law, Prof. Cyril Ndifon, and sexual harassment allegations levelled against him.

In a statement issued by Director of Press and Publicity, Olujimi Oyetomi, Minister emphasised her unwavering dedication to upholding due diligence and the rule of law, recognizing that justice and fairness are the fundamental principles upon which equitable societies are built.

She stated: “I wish to express my sincere apologies to those who were offended by my comments and actions regarding the sexual harassment scandal at the University of Calabar. This is extremely regrettable as my intentions were sincere and aligned with my consistent advocacy for the welfare of Nigerian women and the pursuit of justice.

“I stand for all Nigerian women and I stand for justice; and it is my hope that we can work together to actualize the dream of a country where women’s rights are respected and protected, and where our daughters feel safe in institutions of learning.”

Kennedy-Ohanenye recalled that during a recent appearance on AIT, she was unequivocal in her condemnation of sexual harassment and related offences.

She also expressed deep concern over the escalating cases of sexual harassment across campuses and emphasised the need for decisive action, assuring that her Ministry would actively seek justice for those affected.

BarristerNG recalls that the minister had in an online audio purportedly insinuated that the students were being used and manipulated by some people to get Ndifon out of office, so they themselves could take his place.

In the trending audio she was heard threatening the students of UNICAL with dire consequences including imprisonment if they continued to pursue the case of sexual harassment against the suspended Dean of the Faculty of Law, Prof. Cyril Ndifon.

According to the audio, the minister said since the female students had admitted that they were not raped, it meant they were not sexually harassed.