The Governing Council of Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University (ATBU), Bauchi, has officially dismissed a senior lecturer, Dr. Usman Aliyu, following allegations of sexual harassment involving a married postgraduate student, Mrs. Kamila Rufai Aliyu.
This decision was confirmed in the university’s internal publication, ATBU Herald (Vol. 39 No. 5, April 22), which detailed the resolutions of the Council’s 96th regular meeting held on April 11, 2025.
According to the report, Dr. Aliyu was found guilty of misconduct after a thorough investigation by the university’s Senior Staff Disciplinary Committee. The Governing Council approved his dismissal based on the committee's findings, citing a breach of professional ethics and university regulations.
The dismissal letter read in part:
“Following the report of the Senior Staff Disciplinary Committee that found you guilty of an indecent relationship involving a student of the university, Mrs. Kamila Rufai Aliyu of the Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Engineering Technology, the council has subsequently approved your dismissal from the services of the university with immediate effect.”
Mrs. Kamila Aliyu had, in 2024, formally petitioned the university authorities, accusing Dr. Usman Aliyu of persistent sexual harassment. She alleged that the lecturer used threats to coerce her into inappropriate conduct, warning that her academic standing was at risk if she failed to comply.
In a counter move, Dr. Aliyu filed a defamation lawsuit against Mrs. Aliyu, the university’s Department of Chemical Engineering, and the university itself. Despite the lawsuit, ATBU proceeded with internal investigations, which ultimately upheld the student’s claims.
The Governing Council based its disciplinary action on “Chapter 3, Item F, I (o)” of the university’s Senior Staff Conditions of Service, as disclosed by the Senior Deputy Registrar (Senior Staff Establishment), Alhaji Abdullahi Suleiman.
The university’s directive further instructed Dr. Aliyu to return all university property in his possession. The letter stated:
“You are hereby directed to hand over all the property of the university in your possession to the Head of Department and your identification card to the Chief Security Officer of the university.”
This development marks a significant step by the university in reinforcing its commitment to upholding professional conduct and protecting students from any form of harassment.
