Prof. Ifeanyi Odinye gets three-month half-pay suspension as university defers decision on sexual harassment allegation pending further investigation
Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Anambra State, on Monday, August 24, 2026, suspended Professor Ifeanyi Odinye of the Department of Chinese Studies for three months on half salary after an investigative panel found that he breached the institution’s regulations in handling an examination misconduct case involving student Chikamso Okechukwu.
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The university, however, deferred a decision on the separate allegation of sexual harassment against Odinye, saying its six-member Special Investigative Panel requires another two weeks to establish the facts surrounding the allegation, the assault on the lecturer and an alleged kidnapping incident.
The university’s Director of Information and Public Relations, Aloysius Attah, disclosed the decisions in a statement following the panel’s preliminary report, which was submitted to Vice-Chancellor Professor Ugochukwu Bond Stanley Anyaehie on Friday, August 21.
The development follows a viral incident on August 15 in which students were filmed physically assaulting and manhandling Odinye on the university premises amid allegations that he had attempted to sexually molest a female student.
UNIZIK condemned the assault at the time and ordered an immediate, comprehensive and impartial investigation, stressing that allegations of misconduct should be handled through due process rather than violence or what it described as “jungle justice”. (Channels Television)
The latest UNIZIK lecturer suspension stems from two issues already considered by the panel.
According to the university, the panel found that Odinye contravened Section 5.8.3 of its General and Academic Regulations by failing to document and submit an examination misconduct case involving Okechukwu on the prescribed Examination Misconduct Report Form.
The panel also found that the lecturer returned to Okechukwu, on the same day, a mobile phone allegedly recovered from her during the examination, contrary to Section 5.8.1(iv) of the regulations.
The university consequently approved the three-month suspension with half salary as the initial disciplinary measure.
The student at the centre of the examination misconduct issue has also been referred to the Students’ Examination Misconduct Committee on the directive of the Vice-Chancellor.
The university said the investigative panel’s remaining three areas of inquiry are whether sexual harassment occurred, who was responsible for the assault on Odinye and whether there was an incident of kidnapping connected with the matter.
Those questions have not been resolved.
The university therefore extended the panel’s tenure by another two weeks to allow its members to complete the remaining aspects of their assignment and submit recommendations to the Vice-Chancellor.
A final decision, including possible criminal prosecution where warranted, will follow the conclusion of the investigation, the institution said.
The development is significant because the initial viral footage had generated widespread public reaction before the university had established the facts surrounding the confrontation.
The university’s first response was to condemn the physical attack while simultaneously promising a full investigation into the underlying allegations. (Channels Television)
The incident also drew attention because of Odinye’s academic standing within the university.
UNIZIK identifies him as its first indigenous professor of Chinese language and linguistics and a pioneer of the university’s Chinese Studies programme.
He also served as the pioneer coordinator and acting director of the institution’s Confucius Institute. (Nnamdi Azikiwe University)
As recently as March 2026, Odinye was publicly involved in the university’s Chinese Studies programme, including sponsoring a Chinese language competition designed to encourage students’ proficiency in the language. (Nnamdi Azikiwe University)
His current suspension therefore comes amid a wider institutional effort to balance accountability with due process.
The university said the preliminary findings should not be treated as a final determination of the sexual harassment allegation, which remains under investigation.
That distinction is particularly important given that the original allegations circulated largely through social media videos and accompanying claims.
The university had previously said that the facts needed to be established through its formal investigative process. (ICIR News)
Vice-Chancellor Anyaehie reiterated that his administration would prioritise the welfare of staff and students while maintaining zero tolerance for unethical practices.
He also stressed the importance of transparency and fair hearing as the panel continues its work.
The university’s response thus places responsibility on both staff and students.
While Odinye faces disciplinary consequences for the examination-related breaches already established by the panel, Okechukwu has also been referred for examination misconduct proceedings, while those allegedly involved in the assault remain subject to the ongoing investigation.
The next two weeks are expected to provide greater clarity on the most serious unresolved questions, particularly the sexual harassment allegation and the circumstances surrounding the physical attack on the lecturer.
Until the panel submits its final recommendations, the university has not made a definitive finding on whether sexual harassment occurred.
Also read: UNIZIK denies viral lecturer misconduct claim as false
For now, the three-month suspension represents an interim disciplinary consequence for established breaches of university regulations, rather than a final verdict on all the allegations arising from the incident.
David Okere is a journalist and contributor to Freelanews.com, covering business, governance, public affairs, and human-interest stories with a commitment to accuracy, balance, and public interest reporting.
