Teacher arrested for being a “sex pest” to 14-year-old student in Lagos (PICTURED)

by Rachel Ogbu

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Phillip Ebong (Punch)

Lagos State police have arrested a 24-year-old teacher for sexually harassing a 14-year-old student and banning her from attending his classes.

Phillip Ebong was arrested on Wednesday by the Gowon Estate Police Division, Akowonjo, Lagos at the Dee Jewels International College, Gowon Estate, Egbeda Lagos where he teaches physics and chemistry.

According to reports, the police had reacted to a petition filed by  Spaces for Change, a non-governmental organisation on youth development, on behalf of the pupil and her guardian, Theresa Amaechi.

The petition read in part:

  “On repeated occasions, Ebong invited the victim to the staff room informing her of his desire to have an intimate relationship with her. Consequently, the victim became a regular visitor to the staff room during break periods.

“On such visits, he made sexual advances to her which often involved kissing and hugging. Several times, Ebong followed her home, waiting at the gate to avoid being seen by her guardian.”

The petition goes on to reveal how after a lot of hassle from Ebong, the victim eventually invited him to her guardians’ home where he allegedly persuaded her to expose her private part, “after fondling her breasts and kissing her.”

The victim who was now teased at school and called “Uncle Phillip’s wife,” became very uncomfortable and reported it to her guardian.

“The victim is a timid girl. I did not know the extent of the harassment she was facing until she opened up to me last Friday. Earlier, she had told me Ebong was asking her for a relationship and I told her to reject his advances. I thought it would stop at that,” Amaechi said.

“I was shocked when she told me last week that she was no longer interested in staying in the science class; she wanted to switch to the arts and when I asked why, she said it was because Ebong had banned her from his classes.”

“Apparently, she had told him that I was aware that he had asked her for a sexual relationship. The revelation angered him. He even went as far as threatening that she would fail her examinations,” she said.

But Ebong who is in police custody reportedly denied he had sexual or romantic interest with the victim claiming he generally has interest in his students’ success.

“I am close to all my students; that is what I was taught in the College of Education that a teacher had to be friendly. I just took an interest in the victim because I noticed she was not taking her homework seriously. All this talk of my touching and kissing her, they are all lies. I admit going to her house but it was because I wanted to see her guardian,” he said.

According to reports, the police had obtained statements from the victim’s classmates and friends.

The Punch reports:

As of the time of Ebong’s arrest, the school principal was said to be busy as the SSS III students were taken the WAEC examination.

However the school proprietor, identified as Mrs. Azubuike, who was alerted to the development, rushed down to the school. She said the victim never made a formal report to the school.

She said, “We don’t condone such acts here. Had we been informed on time, we would have taken appropriate action.”

Executive Director of Spaces for Change, Mrs. Victoria Ibezim-Ohaeri, said Amaechi came to her with the case on the same day her ward confided in her.

She said, “We are prepared to seek legal redress in the court should the school and police fail to investigate this matter and exercise full disciplinary action against Ebong.

“Our investigation has also shown that there are other students currently being abused by this same Ebong.

“These acts of misconduct are not only indicative of poor supervision and negligence on the part of the school authorities, but also amount to continuing breeches of the victim’s fundamental human rights.”

The Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Ngozi Braide, when contacted, said, “I will let you know when I have the full details.”

 

Comments (3)

  1. Only we save our school teachers for their sexual advances, anyway seen is believing. thanks.

  2. I strongly believe the teacher is sexually interested in his pupil but most of the time it is the girls that welcome and even try to seduce their teachers towards them. It makes the girls feel superior to her mates when she is seen to be attracting a young male teacher’s attention. I have been there mehn!

  3. In life there is alwayz ups n down, am beggin de law enforcement agent 2 look into de matter very well so as 2 avold any blackmail, i pray dat god should be de source of inspiration.

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