THE Maryam Abacha American University of Nigeria (MAAUN), Kano, has distanced itself from Nasa’i Gwadabe, the lecturer linked to a viral sexual harassment allegation, saying he ceased to be a staff member more than two months ago after his visiting appointment expired.
The university, in a statement signed by its Registrar, Habibu Abubakar, said Gwadabe’s one-year appointment as a Senior Visiting Lecturer ended in May 2026 and was not renewed, stressing that he is no longer affiliated with the institution.
“The Management of Maryam Abacha American University of Nigeria wishes to clarify recent reports circulating on social media regarding Dr. Nasa’i Gwadabe. His one-year appointment ended in May 2026 and was not renewed. He is therefore no longer affiliated with MAAUN,” the statement said.
According to the university, describing Gwadabe as a current lecturer at MAAUN is inaccurate and misleading. It noted that his contract expired alongside those of several other visiting lecturers and insisted that the decision not to renew his appointment was taken before the current controversy emerged.
To support its position on the matter, the university shared a letter dated April 27, 2026, signed by its President, Mohammad Israr, notifying Gwadabe that his application for reappointment as a Senior Visiting Lecturer had been unsuccessful.
The clarification followed a video widely shared across social media, including Facebook, X, TikTok and WhatsApp appeared to show a man identified as Nasa’i Gwadabe being confronted and beaten by several individuals.
Posts accompanying the footage alleged that he had been lured by the husband of a female student to a meeting after allegedly demanding a sexual relationship from the female student under his academic supervision.
The video quickly generated widespread public outrage and renewed conversations about sexual harassment in Nigerian tertiary institutions.
The allegations have generated widespread public reactions on the existence of a sexual harassment policy in the university.
MAAUN reaffirmed its zero-tolerance policy on sexual harassment, abuse and exploitation, saying it had established mechanisms for students to report cases of misconduct.
The institution disclosed that its founder had instituted a N5 million reward for any female student who reports and provides credible evidence of sexual harassment or sexual assault involving any lecturer or staff member through the university’s official reporting channels.
The university also dismissed social media claims that one of the alleged victims was a postgraduate student and that another female student had her graduation delayed by two years because she allegedly refused the lecturer’s sexual advances.
According to the management, both claims are false because MAAUN only recently graduated its first set of undergraduate students and has not commenced postgraduate programmes.
The case echoes concerns raised by The ICIR Oga Lecturer initiative, whose investigation into some universities in Nigeria in 2025 found that despite the existence of a sexual harassment policy, many students said fear of retaliation, stigma and a lack of confidence in institutional processes discouraged them from reporting abuse.
Nanji is an investigative journalist with the ICIR. She has years of experience in reporting and broadcasting human angle stories, gender inequalities, minority stories, and human rights issues. She has documented sexual war crimes in armed conflict, sex for grades in Nigerian Universities, harmful traditional practices and human trafficking.