The governing council of the federal polytechnic, Bauch in Bauch state has approved the dismissal of one Musa Baba Abubakar of the General Studies Department and Adebusoye Michael Sunday of the Nutrition and Dietetics Department for sexual harassment offenses.
According to the PUNCH a Human Rights Organization, Prison Inmate Development, had, in a letter of complaint addressed to the Attorney General and Commissioner of Justice, Ministry of Justice through the Director, Public Prosecution of the Ministry, Bauchi, and signed by Japhet Ikita, alleged that the management of the Federal Polytechnic Bauchi was trying to cover up Baba who is “adjudged a serial rapist, sexual harasser and intimidator of female students in the institution without making it public for prosecution.”
The letter said “That the lecturer, having defiled one 17-year-old female student was caught red-handed by the Rector of the school. He has been accused of sexually molesting many female students and forcing himself on them.
“That for emphasis sake, he was perhaps not ready to stop without applying any form of the big stick, when he was caught red-handed, pardoned and his colleagues apologized to the school management.”
Informing journalists at the end of the meeting of the governong council that lasted for several hours, the Rector, Arc. Yahaya Gumau, denied allegations that the school management was trying to cover up the matters and the erring lecturers.
He said, “I welcome you to witness the final verdict of all that have been making waves in the media concerning the issue of our staff who was reported to have been allegedly involved in rape, Abubakar Musa Baba.
“But what surprises me the most is that it is only his own name that is being mentioned. The other lecturer’s name was silent in the media, I don’t know the reason or the rationale behind it.
He continued, “This issue of Musa Baba, came up on August 3, 2021. The extant rule of the Polytechnic is that, if an issue of this magnitude happens, the complainant has to write. And immediately when she wrote, the Registrar, that very evening, was in my house with her HOD.
“I directed that the staff be queried which was the next line of action as per the extant rules of our institution as provided by the federal government. But when his reply was not satisfactory, we established a committee to investigate that matter thoroughly to its logical conclusion.”
He added that: “After the committee submitted its report, the next authority that should have looked into the issue is the Sub-Committee of the Council. And the Council normally meet quarterly. This issue happened after the last council and it was the next meeting that would decide on the case.
“The Senior Staff Appointment, Promotion and Disciplinary Committee met and invited the suspect. We cross-examined him and made our recommendations to the Council.
“The Council today, has finally, approved the dismissal of Abubakar Musa Baba from the service of the Polytechnic, Bauchi. Also, Adebusoye Michael Sunday is dismissed from the services of the Federal Polytechnic, Bauchi with effect from Saturday on a similar case. That is the decision of the Council on these issues.”
Taking the matter to a logical conclusion the rector said “the Council of the Federal Polytechnic, Bauchi, in its 98th sitting, has finally, dismissed these two staff.”
