Authorities of the Imo State University, Owerri, have suspended a lecturer, Desmond Izunwanne, for allegedly slapping one of his female students who reportedly arrived for a lecture late and for not attending the class in the departmental uniform.
The spokesperson for the University, Ralph Njokuobi, in a statement in Owerri, the state capital, on Wednesday described the lecturer’s action as “barbaric and unbecoming.”
In a viral video shared on social media on Saturday, the lecturer was seen assaulting a female student.
The lecturer slapped the student for wearing a mufti to class and asked her to kneel. The lecturer queried the student in the video, saying, “What’s your reason? Which hospital? Everybody is coming from the hospital. What is your reason for being on mufti? O ya kneel down.”
Njokuobi said the decision to suspend the lecturer was taken at a meeting of the school management held on Tuesday.
He added that a three-man panel was also set up to “unravel the immediate and remote causes that led to his uncouth behaviour.”
The statement read, “It has come to the notice of the management of the Imo State University the viral video circulating around the globe about the indecorous actions of a lecturer of the university, Dr Desmond lzunwanne of the Physiology Department, Faculty of Basic
Medical Sciences, against four students of the university.
“Management viewed the action of the lecturer as barbaric and unbecoming of such a person occupying that position.
“At the end of the management meeting held on Tuesday, May 2, 2023, management approved the suspension of the lecturer till further notice and has set up a three-man disciplinary committee to unravel the immediate and remote causes that led to his uncouth behaviour.
“The general public and indeed all human rights organisations are hereby implored to allow the university to conduct a proper investigation and recommend appropriate sanctions where necessary in line with the staff conditions of service.
“Management will not accept any breach in the academic and moral standards expected of any lecturer irrespective of how highly he is placed in the university and sincerely believe in rules of engagement between lecturers and students.”
