The management of the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University (ATBU), Bauchi, has dismissed one of its lecturers, Dr. Usman Mohammed Aliyu, over an allegation bordering on sexual harassment of a married student.
The dismissal follows a petition filed last year by Mrs Kamila Rufai Aliyu, a postgraduate student in the Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Engineering Technology.
The student also accused Dr. Aliyu of threatening her academic success if she failed to comply with his demands.
In a dramatic turn of events, the lecturer filed a defamation suit in response to the allegations.
The student, a married woman, alleged that Aliyu made sexual advances, harassed her, and issued threats of failing her in his course if she didn’t succumb to his sexual demands.
The husband of the victim, Ja’afaru Buba, through his legal counsel, had filed petitions against the lecturer with the university’s management, the head of the department, 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 petition further stated that Kamila resisted Aliyu’s advances, leading him to allegedly threaten to fail her in exams and prevent her from graduating. It was also claimed that Aliyu told Kamila’s friends he would fail her due to her refusal.
Sani argued that Aliyu’s actions violated university regulations and conditions of service.
In an update on the matter in its April 22, 2025 edition (Vol. 39, No. 5), the university’s official newsletter, ATBU Herald, announced that the institution’s Governing Council, at its 96th regular meeting held on April 11, 2025, approved Aliyu’s dismissal based on the findings of the Senior Staff Disciplinary Committee.
The report stated that the lecturer was found guilty of an “indecent relationship involving a student,” in violation of Chapter 3, item f.1(o) of the Senior Staff Conditions of Service.
The university has directed Aliyu to hand over all university property in his possession and submit his staff ID card to the Chief Security Officer with immediate effect.
