Dr. Boniface Igbeneghu, accused of sexual harassment
Both the University of Lagos (Unilag) and Four Square Church have suspended the lecturer who was involved in a sex-for-marks scandal. The Unilag lecturer, Boniface Igbeneghu, is a former sub-dean of Faculty of Art and head pastor in Foursquare Gospel Church.
The lecturer was exposed in a video by BBC Africa where an undercover journalist, Kiki Mordi, disguised as a 17-year-old admission seeker. This was after several students had confessed to their harassment by the said lecturer and pastor.
The vice-chancellor of the institution, Oluwatoyin Ogundipe, said the lecturer has been suspended indefinitely.
”A panel will be set up to investigate the issue,” he said.
Also on Monday, the Four Square Church issued a statement suspending the pastor. National Secretary of the church, Ikechukwu Ugbaja, said in the statement that appropriate measures would be taken in due course.
“As a holiness and Bible-believing church, we do not condone such heinous and unscriptural acts among our ministers”, the statement said.
The investigation is part of a broader one that uncovers the sex for grade crises in universities in Nigeria and Ghana.
Mr Igbeneghu invited the ‘admission seeker’ to his office for ‘tutorials’ and at their first meeting asked: “how old are you?”.
After responding, the lecturer commented on her appearance.
“Don’t you know you are a beautiful girl? Do you know I am a pastor and I am in my 50s but if I want a girl of 17 years, all I need is a sweet tongue and put some money,” he said flirtatiously.
He repeated the harassment of the undercover reporter at another occasion oblivious that he was being filmed.
