Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Anambra State, has ordered an immediate investigation into an alleged sexual misconduct incident involving a lecturer in the Department of Chinese Studies, Faculty of Arts, after a video showing the academic being assaulted by students went viral.
The incident occurred on Saturday, August 15, 2026, within the university premises, with footage of the confrontation subsequently spreading across social media.
The lecturer was allegedly confronted by students over an accusation involving a female student before he was physically assaulted and rough-handled.
However, the university has not established the allegation as fact and has not publicly identified the lecturer.
In a statement issued by the Director of Information and Public Relations, Aloysius Attah, the university said it was deeply saddened by the incident and condemned the resort to violence, self-help or jungle justice.
Management directed that an immediate, comprehensive and impartial investigation be conducted to establish what happened and determine the circumstances surrounding the confrontation.
The university said allegations of misconduct must be handled through established institutional procedures and due process, stressing that nobody had the right to take the law into their own hands within the university environment.
According to the institution, Vice-Chancellor Prof. Ugochukwu Bond Stanley Anyaehie has consistently reaffirmed UNIZIK’s zero-tolerance policy towards sexual misconduct, harassment and other forms of inappropriate behaviour.
The development has triggered debate on social media, with reactions divided between calls for firm action against sexual misconduct in universities and concerns over students using physical violence to punish an allegation before the facts have been established.
The viral video does not, by itself, establish what happened before the confrontation. The university’s investigation is therefore expected to examine the allegation involving the female student as well as the circumstances that led to the physical attack on the lecturer.
The institution’s response also underscores the need for allegations involving staff and students to be channelled through formal disciplinary and investigative procedures.
UNIZIK has previously maintained institutional structures dealing with sexual harassment and assault, reflecting the university’s stated commitment to addressing such complaints through formal mechanisms.
The university said the matter remains under full review and that appropriate administrative processes have been activated to ensure that justice is served fairly and objectively.
It added that further developments would be communicated in due course.
