UNIZIK Suspends Lecturer, Refers Student to Examination Misconduct Committee

The management of Nnamdi Azikiwe University (UNIZIK), Awka, Anambra State, has suspended a lecturer in the Department of Chinese Studies, Prof. Ifeanyi Sunny Odinye, for three months over alleged examination misconduct.

The suspension was approved by the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Bond Anyaehie, following recommendations contained in the preliminary report of a six-member Special Investigative Panel set up to examine the matter.

The university’s Director of Information and Public Relations, Aloysius Attah, disclosed this in a statement on Monday.

According to Attah, the panel, chaired by the Provost of the College of Postgraduate Studies, Prof. Emmanuel Obidimma, submitted its preliminary report last Friday.

The university also referred the student involved in the case, Chikamso Favour Okechukwu, to the Students’ Examination Misconduct Committee for further investigation.

The preliminary report addressed two of the five issues contained in the panel’s terms of reference.

The panel found Odinye to have breached Section 5.8.3 of the university’s General and Academic Regulations by failing to record and submit the alleged examination misconduct involving Okechukwu on the prescribed Examination Misconduct Report Form.

It also found that the lecturer returned a mobile phone recovered from the student during the examination to her on the same day, contrary to Section 5.8.1(iv) of the regulations.

The university said the remaining three issues before the panel include allegations of sexual harassment, the identities of those involved in an alleged assault on Odinye, and claims of kidnapping.

The panel has been given an additional two weeks to complete its investigation and submit its recommendations to the Vice-Chancellor.

According to the university, a final decision on the matter, including possible criminal prosecution where necessary, will be taken after the completion of the investigation.

Anyaehie said his administration remained committed to the welfare of staff and students, while maintaining zero tolerance for unethical conduct and upholding transparency and fair hearing.

The university said the three-month suspension followed the findings already established in the panel’s preliminary report and would remain subject to the outcome of the ongoing investigation.