The Governing Council of Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University (ATBU), Bauchi, has dismissed a senior lecturer, Dr. Usman Mohammed Aliyu, following his indictment in a sexual harassment case involving a student.
According to a Special Bulletin released by the institution on April 22, 2025, the dismissal was approved during the Council’s 96th regular meeting held on Friday, April 11, 2025. The decision followed the recommendation of the Senior Staff Disciplinary Committee, which found Dr. Aliyu guilty of gross misconduct after a comprehensive investigation.
Dr. Aliyu was accused of maintaining an “indecent relationship” with Mrs. Kamila Rufai Aliyu, a postgraduate student from the Department of Chemical Engineering in the Faculty of Engineering and Engineering Technology. The dismissal letter, signed by the Senior Deputy Registrar, Abdullahi Sulaiman, instructed Dr. Aliyu to immediately hand over all university property in his possession to his department and return his ID card to the Chief Security Officer.
The bulletin emphasized that the disciplinary action was taken in line with Chapter 3, Item F, I, (o) of the University’s Senior Staff Conditions of Service.
Mrs. Kamila Rufai Aliyu had, in 2024, filed a formal petition against Dr. Aliyu, accusing him of sexual harassment and alleging that he threatened her academic progress when she rejected his advances.
In response to the allegations, Dr. Aliyu had filed a defamation suit against the student, her department, and the university last year.
The university’s decision reflects its commitment to maintaining professional conduct and safeguarding students’ rights within the academic environment.