The National Association of Nigerian Students has alleged that a female undergraduate in an unnamed tertiary institution in Ondo State was compelled to engage in a sexual act with her Head of Department in exchange for a passing grade in a compulsory course required for her graduation.
The allegation was contained in a statement issued on Friday by the President of NANS, Akinteye Babatunde, titled, “Our Female Students Deserve Safety, Dignity, and Justice.”
According to Akinteye, the student had only one outstanding course left before graduation and returned to the institution to rewrite the examination after previously failing it.
He said the student was again informed that she did not pass the course and subsequently approached the lecturer, who also served as the Head of Department, to understand why she continued to fail.
The NANS president alleged that the lecturer told the student she would never pass the course before later demanding a sexual favour in exchange for awarding her a passing grade.
Akinteye claimed the student felt she had no alternative if she wanted to complete her studies and allegedly complied with the lecturer's demand.
He further alleged that the ordeal did not end there, as the lecturer reportedly continued contacting the student days later, inviting her to his residence and allegedly suggesting that the sexual relationship had to continue before her result could be processed.
According to him, the distressed student eventually reached out to NANS for intervention.
Akinteye said although he initially considered making the matter public, the student appealed to him not to expose the case because she feared victimisation and only wanted to graduate without further intimidation.
He disclosed that after contacting authorities within the institution, he was informed about three hours later that the student had been cleared academically.
While expressing relief over the student's clearance, the NANS president lamented that she was unwilling to publicly identify either herself or the lecturer, describing the situation as evidence of the fear and stigma many victims of sexual harassment experience on campuses.
He said the incident reflected a broader pattern of sexual exploitation in higher institutions, stressing that many victims remain silent due to fear of retaliation, humiliation and possible academic consequences.
Akinteye maintained that no student should be forced to exchange sexual favours for academic advancement, urging institutions to ensure campuses remain safe environments for learning.
He also encouraged students facing sexual harassment or intimidation to report such cases to the NANS Directorate of Gender, assuring them that complaints would be treated confidentially and professionally.
The student leader, however, did not disclose the identities of the institution, the lecturer or the student involved.
Efforts to obtain the reaction of the institution were unsuccessful as of the time of filing this report, as the statement did not identify the school where the alleged incident occurred.
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