ATBU Sacks Lecturer Accused Of Sexual Harassing A Married Female Student

The management of Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University (ATBU) in Bauchi has fired Dr. Usman Mohammed Aliyu, a lecturer in the Chemical Engineering Department, over allegations of sexual harassment involving a married postgraduate student.

The student, Mrs. Kamila Rufai Aliyu, filed a complaint last year, accusing the lecturer of making inappropriate advances and threatening to sabotage her academic progress if she refused his demands.

Kamila, who is enrolled in the university’s M.Eng. program, said Aliyu harassed her both in person and through WhatsApp messages, despite knowing she was married.

Her husband, Ja’afaru Buba, through his lawyer, submitted petitions to the university, the department head, and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).

In the petition, Kamila’s lead counsel, Barrister Mohammed Sani, stated: “Our client, Kamila Rufa’i Aliyu, a student of the M.Eng. Chemical Engineering program at ATBU, was repeatedly harassed by Dr. Usman Mohammed Aliyu, who taught her courses such as CHE 635 (Polymer Processing) and currently teaches her CHE 656 (Fluidization).

“Despite knowing she was married, Dr. Aliyu invited her to his office multiple times and sent her inappropriate love messages via WhatsApp.”

The legal petition claimed the lecturer threatened to fail Kamila and block her graduation after she rejected him.

Despite the seriousness of the accusations, Dr. Aliyu responded by filing a defamation lawsuit.

However, after a thorough investigation by the university’s Senior Staff Disciplinary Committee, the ATBU Governing Council concluded that the lecturer had an “indecent relationship involving a student,” which violated the institution’s code of conduct.

In a statement dated April 22, 2025, the university confirmed Aliyu’s dismissal, instructing him to return all university property and hand in his staff ID card to security immediately.

Meanwhile, an unidentified student of Yaba College of Technology in Lagos was shot and killed in what appears to be a cult-related attack.