THE management of the Nnamdi Azikiwe University (UNIZIK), Awka, has expelled third-year student Goddy Mbakwe Precious following a viral video that captured her assaulting a lecturer Chukwudi Okoye in the university’s Theatre Arts and Film Studies department.
The expulsion was confirmed through a letter signed by the acting registrar, Victor I. Modebelu, on behalf of the acting vice-chancellor.
According to the expulsion, Precious was found guilty of gross misconduct in violation of the institution’s disciplinary regulations.
“Consequently, the acting vice-chancellor on behalf of the University Senate approved the committee’s recommendation that you be expelled and you are hereby expelled from Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka.
“The expulsion takes immediate effect,” the letter read.
The letter, issued on February 13, 2025, directed the student to vacate the university premises immediately and return any property in her possession.
The university noted that the decision came after a full review by the university’s disciplinary committee and subsequent approval by the university’s Senate.
Recall that the management said it had on February 11, launched an investigation into the viral video of the altercations, which sparked mixed reactions on social media.
Backstory
The events leading to the expulsion began on February 11, when a series of videos posted on social media showed a tense encounter between Precious and Okoye.
The altercation began when Okoye walked into Precious who was taking a video along the university hallway.
Footage showed Okoye tapping the student on the shoulder, saying “Excuse me” as he passed, but Mbakwe reacted, saying “Can you imagine? He just hit me.”
The situation escalated, with other videos showing Precious grabbing Okoye’s shirt and tearing it. She also bit the man on the wrist.
Throughout the process, Okoye was seen as maintaining his composure and not retaliating.
The ICIR, however, could not independently confirm how the incident degenerated as the lecturer was seen to have passed by the student in the first footage.
However, social media posts attributed to the lecturer and Precious provided differing accounts of the incident.
Precious, in a post attributed to her, claimed that someone attempted to grab her phone from behind, and eventually realised it was the same lecturer who had interrupted her video.
She further alleged that Okoye grabbed her “breast region,” and scratched her chest with his nail.
“I was devastated and at the same time still lamenting in pain as I picked up the pieces of my shattered phone. But the situation took a dark turn when the lecturer grasped my breast region, saying unspeakable things.
“I was left stunned, trying to comprehend the horror unfolding before me. As I realised my cleavage was exposed, I begged him to let me go, but he ignored my pleas, holding me firmly. His nails and clutches left certain prints and scratches on my chest rather.
“I was mortified. I tried to cover myself, pulling my dress together, and exclaimed in desperation, ‘Sir, I’ll hold you oh!’. I didn’t mean to threaten him; I just wanted him to release me. But he wouldn’t budge. In a split second, I bit his hands, hoping he’d let go. That was when I held his clothes and accidentally tore his shirt,” she reportedly said.
However, the lecturer, in a post linked to him, claimed that he overheard her insulting him and decided to return to ascertain if she was one of his students and also to demand that she delete the video that showed him passing by.
“My theatre Arts people, I had just left Hall 19, where Dr Ebekue (another lecturer) was teaching. Walking along the passage, I saw a girl doing a video with her phone,” he said.
He added, “Tapping her slightly, I asked her to excuse me as I walked past. After about two or three steps, I heard her say, ‘Who does this man think he is?’ I walked back to ascertain first if she was my student and second to make sure she deleted the video showing where I passed.”
According to him, the student bit him on both arms, tore his clothes, slapped him, and scratched his face in the process.
Mustapha Usman is an investigative journalist with the International Centre for Investigative Reporting. You can easily reach him via: musman@icirnigeria.com. He tweets @UsmanMustapha_M