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Sexual Harassment: ICPC closes case against UNICAL professor, lawyer
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The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), on Wednesday, closed its case against Cyril Ndifon, the suspended dean of the Faculty of Law, University of Calabar (UNICAL), and his co-defendant, Sunny Anyanwu.
ICPC’s counsel, Osuobeni Akponimisingha, told Justice James Omotosho of the Abuja Division of the Federal High Court after Bwaigu Fungo, the fourth prosecution witness, a forensic and intelligence analyst with the commission, was cross-examined by the defence lawyer, Joe Agi.
Mr Akponimisingha had earlier informed the court that the anti-corruption commission had about seven witnesses and planned to amend the charge to increase the witness number in proving their case against the defendants.
Mr Ndifon was, on January 25, re-arraigned alongside Mr Anyanwu as first and second defendants on an amended four-count charge bordering on alleged sexual harassment and attempt to perverse the cause of justice.
Mr Anyanwu, who is one of the lawyers in the defence, was joined in the amended charge filed on January 22 by the ICPC on the allegation that he called one of the prosecution witnesses on her mobile telephone during the pendency of the charge against Mr Ndifon to threaten her.
They, however, pleaded not guilty to the counts.
The judge had, on Friday, granted bail to Messrs Ndifon and Anyanwu in the sum of N250 million and N50 million, respectively, with two sureties each in the like sum.
Upon resumed trial on Wednesday, Mr Fungo’s cross-examination continued.
When Mr Agi asked the forensic analyst if he knew what Mr Ndifon and TKJ, the female student alleged to have been sexually harassed, discussed in the call log, he said he did not know.
When the lawyer asked the witness if he knew the first communication between Mr Ndifon and TKJ, Mr Fungo said from the analysis he carried out on the mobile phones, their first communication through the WhatsApp channel was on March 14, 2023, and the message was: “Good evening sir.”
The witness, who also said he did not analyse TKJ’s phone during the investigation, said the ICPC did not give him TKJ’s phone to analyse.
After Mr Fungo’s testimony, Mr Akponimisingha told the court that the prosecution was closing its case.
“This is the case for the prosecution, and we have closed our case today,” he said.
Responding, counsel to the defendants, Mr Agi, told the court they planned to file a no-case submission.
He said he would need seven days to file the application.
The ICPC lawyer assured the court that immediately, the defence served him with the no-case submission, he would also need about seven days to reply.
The judge consequently adjourned the matter until February 27 to hear the defendants’ no-case submission.
Meanwhile, Messrs Ndifon and Anyanwu have yet to perfect their bail described as being too stringent.
The judge had, on February 9, admitted Mr Ndifon to a N250 million bail with two sureties.
The judge held that the two sureties, who must be owners of landed property in the FCT with registered titles and a minimum valuation of N150 million, must submit their certified bank statements to the court’s registrar.
He also directed Mr Ndifon to submit his passport to the court registrar.
The judge ordered the suspended dean to sign an undertaking not to interfere with the case, be ready to stand his trial and not to delay the trial.
Also ruling on Mr Anyanwu’s bail plea, the judge, who granted him a N50 million bail with two sureties, held that one of the sureties must have a property in FCT, but not with a registered title.
The judge directed the sureties to file their bank statements and ordered Mr Anyanwu to equally sign an undertaking not to interfere with the trial, to be ready to stand his trial and not delay the trial.
The judge also ordered accelerated hearing of the matter.
A 35-year-old man, Gaddafi Isah, and Badamasi Isah, aged 30, have been beaten to death by a mob over the suspected theft of livestock at Katsayal village in the Sandamu Local Government Area of Katsina State.
A counter-insurgency expert focused on the Lake Chad region, Zagazola Makama, made this known in a post on his X handle on Monday.
According to him, intelligence sources revealed that the two victims had driven their father’s vehicle to the outskirts of the village to learn to drive.
He stated that, in the process of the practice, a mob approached and accused them of stealing livestock.
He added that the mob surrounded the two men and beat them severely, causing them to sustain varying degrees of injuries.
“The victims were rescued by the security forces who were deployed to the scene and rushed to the Community Health Centre in Sandamu for treatment, but they were later confirmed dead by a medical doctor,” he posted.
He also disclosed that the vehicle the deceased victims were driving was also damaged during the attack.
He noted that the police had launched an investigation into the incident, and efforts were underway to apprehend the perpetrators responsible for the attack.
When contacted, the spokesperson of the state police command, Abubakar Aliyu, did not respond to calls made to his telephone line.
A text message sent had yet to be replied to as of the time this report was filed.
A tragic incident unfolded on the evening of Saturday, along the Bwari-Dutse Road in Abuja, where a shooting linked to a VIP convoy claimed the life of a bystander and left several others injured.
According to intelligence sources available to Zagazola Makama, the chaos began after a Daf Trailer Truck reportedly lost its brakes and rammed into five tricycles around 6:50 p.m., resulting in a deadly crash. Eight people were injured in the accident, and two later died from their injuries at Kubwa General Hospital.
As emergency responders and commuters grappled with the aftermath of the crash, a VIP convoy approached the gridlocked scene. Eyewitnesses reported that security personnel in the convoy began firing shots into the air, apparently in an attempt to clear the road.
Amid the confusion, a stray bullet hit Timothy John, a passerby from Dutse Baupma, in the chest.
He was rushed to Kubwa General Hospital, where he was later pronounced dead.
The identity of the VIP or those responsible for the gunfire has not yet been disclosed, sparking public outrage and concern over the reckless actions of convoy security operatives.
Authorities have launched a full investigation into both the accident and the shooting, with the body of Timothy John taken for autopsy.
Operatives of the Mabushi Division of the Federal Capital Territory Police Command have foiled a robbery attempt at the Royal Court Estate, Jahi II, Abuja.
The operatives arrested two suspects following a gun battle.The incident occurred in the early hours of Wednesday, March 27, at about 3:20 a.m. after a distress call was received.
Upon arrival, the police officers were engaged in a shootout by the robbers but eventually overpowered them with superior firepower.
According to a statement by the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Josephine Adeh, on Sunday, the suspects, Rabiu Jubril and Ibrahim Isa, both residents of Tipper Garage, Jahi—were arrested after a hot pursuit.
Adeh said, “On March 27, 2025 at about 3:20 a.m., operatives of the Mabushi Division responded swiftly to a distress call reporting ongoing robbery at Royal Court Estate, Jahi II.
“Upon arrival at the scene, the police operatives were engaged in a gun duel by the hoodlums. However, the suspects were overpowered by the superior firepower of the police and attempted to flee with gunshot injuries.
“A hot pursuit ensued, leading to the arrest of two suspects—Rabiu Jubril and Ibrahim Isa, both residents of Tipper Garage, Jahi. ”
Adeh added that items recovered from the suspects include two locally made firearms, three suspected stolen vehicles— a black Toyota Matrix (Reg. No. NBS 348 CP), a black Toyota Venza (Reg. No. ABJ 105 AV), and a grey Lexus IS350 (Reg. No. RSH 295 CB).
She stated that electronic devices such as two MacBook Pro laptops, a Lenovo laptop, an iPad, a PS4 gaming console, a Canon IP1224 camera, and a drone camera were also recovered.
“The suspects are currently in custody and will be charged to court upon the conclusion of investigations, ” Adeh added.
Adeh said the Commissioner of Police, FCT Command, CP Ajao Adewale, urged residents to adopt proactive security measures, especially by installing tracking devices in their vehicles to aid recovery efforts in case of theft.
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