Aisha Buhari, Fayemi’s wife seek justice for survivors of sexual harassment

Wife of the president, Aisha Buhari, has called for the prosecution of perpetrators of sexual harassment and violence against girls in the country. She made this known at the screening of the BBC documentary titled: ‘Sex for Grades’, Africa Eye, in Lagos on Monday evening.

Mrs. Buhari, who was represented by Mrs. Aisha Rimi, also urged the public to speak up against sexual harassment both in the higher institutions and the society, promising that she will give all the necessary support to ensure victims of sexual harassment get justice.

At the screening, Buhari said the stories of sexual harassment make her sad and will do everything in her power to ensure that the victims get justice. “Be rest assured that I am ready to give any assistance required of me to ensure that victims of sexual harassment not only get justice but also have a safe space to speak out. Boys also suffer from sexual harassment and we need to tackle this malaise with the urgency it deserves,” she said.

Also, the chairperson of the wives of governors and wife of Ekiti State governor, Erelu Fayemi, has lamented lack of political will in prosecution of perpetrators of sexual harassment and violence against women. She called for enactment of unambiguous policy on sexual harassment in the nation’s higher institutions to protect women as well as creation of register for perpetrators to avoid recycling them in the system.

Mrs. Fayemi added that she was sexually harassed when she was in the university and understands and knows how painful the experience is.

Also a survivor, Kiki Mordi, narrated how she was subjected to sexual harassment at the University of Lagos (UNILAG) when she was 16. Mordi, who reported the documentary and featured her personal story of being sexually harassed by Dr. Boniface Igbeneghu at UNILAG, said her ordeals at the hand of lecturers thwarted her dreams of becoming a medical doctor, reason she decided to expose their acts working as an undercover journalist.

The documentary also featured an undercover journalist named Zara, who posed as an undergraduate to expose the sexual harassment of a professor in the University of Ghana.

Meanwhile, it was rumoured yesterday that Dr. Boniface Igbeneghu, the indicted lecturer of the Department of European Languages and Integrated Studies, UNILAG, reportedly attempted suicide late on Monday night after social media users thronged his timeline with derogatory words.

Following the sex scandal film released by British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), Igbeneghu was immediately suspended from the institution and also at his place of worship, Four-Square Church.

He was reported to have attempted killing himself with a rat poison. Sources said the lecturer was found unconscious with bubbles in his mouth late on Monday night after drinking rat poison before he was rushed to Reddington Hospital.

However, the management of UNILAG has suspended the second lecturer indicted in the BBC documentary while further investigations are ongoing in the institution.