Police arrest Nigerian university lecturer over alleged rape of 20-year-old undergraduate

A lecturer at the University of Lagos (UNILAG), Prof Kadiri Babalola, who was alleged to have raped a 20-year-old undergraduate of the institution has been arrested by the Lagos State Police Command, following a letter written to the management of the institution.

Penpushing reports that the Command Public Relations Officer, Benjamin Hundeyin confirmed this on Thursday, adding that the arrest was effected following a complaint lodged at the gender unit of the Ikeja Police Command by a Non-Governmental Organisation- Inclusive Social Welfare and Empowerment Foundation (InclusiveSWEF), where the victim had reported the case.

The police spokesperson in the statement added that the university don will appear in court when a date is fixed for his arraignment, just as it is recalled that the victim had accused the lecturer an Associate Professor of Botany of perpetrating the act on 16 August,2023 when she visited his office to resolve some issues concerning her results.

Penpushing further reports that the Founder and Principal Consultant of InclusiveSWEF, Pat Isiorho-Eleto, who protected identity of the victim, however, in reaction declared that her organisation is dutifully following the case to get justice for her.

‘We are trying to be careful because she is in the university, we have to protect her from stigmatisation, and there are concerns for her safety as well. We are more concerned about getting justice for her’,  Isiorho-Eleto said.

Penpushing also reports that the institution’s spokesperson, Adejoke Alaga-Ibrahim while reacting to the development in a statement pointed out that the university was aware of an investigation involving an employee of the university.

The spokesperson of the university explained that on 28 August,2023 the management received a letter from the Nigeria Police Force, inviting an employee of the university for questioning, adding that the employee was immediately informed of the development and advised to comply.

‘While we are not yet privy to the full details of the incident that led to the arrest of the employee, we are fully aware that the investigation is ongoing and we are cooperating with security agencies to ensure that the matter is resolved in the interest of justice’, the statement reads

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