The full gist
The management of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Anambra State, has dismissed as false and misleading claims linking the institution to a viral video and reports alleging that a lecturer identified as a staff member of the university was caught in an inappropriate act with a student on campus.
A viral video has been circulating online since Wednesday, showing a lecturer allegedly being caught in an inappropriate act with a female student on university premises.
In the video, some students were seen forcing their way into the lecturer’s office in an attempt to apprehend him. However, upon gaining entry, the lecturer reportedly jumped out of the office through a window and fled.
The voiceover in the video claimed that the incident occurred at UNIZIK, describing the lecturer as a “notorious randy” man who was allegedly well known at the institution.
However, in a statement issued on Thursday by UNIZIK’s Director of Information and Public Relations, Aloysius Attah, the institution said it had verified the claims and established that the individuals seen in the video were neither staff members nor students of the university.
Attah added that the incident did not occur at the institution.
He said staff members of the university were guided by strong ethical standards, while the management maintained zero tolerance for the exploitation of students under any guise.
The statement read, “The attention of the management of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, has been drawn to a viral video and news reports circulating online about a lecturer erroneously identified as a staff of Nnamdi Azikiwe University reportedly caught in an inappropriate behaviour with a student within a university premises.
We wish to categorically state that the report is not only false but misleading. After due verification, it has been established that the incident did not happen at Nnamdi Azikiwe University.
“The man in question seen in the viral video is also not a staff of Nnamdi Azikiwe University. For the records, no staff or student of Nnamdi Azikiwe University is connected in any way to the said incident.
“Nnamdi Azikiwe University upholds the highest standards of professional conduct and discipline among its staff and students. Staff members of the university are guided by strong ethics, while the university management also has zero tolerance for students’ exploitation under any guise.
“We will not be associated with false information that damages the reputation of our institution.
“The advent of citizen journalism, social media, and the rush to break news first and gain traffic have fuelled misinformation, disinformation, and the spread of outright falsehoods. However, digital communication has also made it much easier to balance news reports and fact-check certain information before public dissemination.”
The institution urged members of the public, media organisations, and online platforms to desist from spreading unverified information and take immediate steps to retract and correct such publications.