#S*xForGrades: Revisit sexual harassment bill, Saraki urges Buhari, Senate

A former Senate President, Bukola Saraki, has called on President Muhammadu Buhari and the National assembly to revisit the sexual harassment bill passed by the Eighth Senate.

Weighing in against the allegations of sexual harassment ongoing in West African tertiary institutions, Saraki noted that the Eighth Senate, which he presided over, had passed the ‘Sexual Harassment in Tertiary Education Institution Prohibition Bill.’

The bill prescribed a five-year jail term for any lecturer, educationist or person in a position of authority in any tertiary institution in Nigeria found guilty of sexual misconduct, he tweeted on Monday via his verified Twitter handle, @bukolasaraki.

He had tweeted, “As a father, I’m appalled by the actions of lecturers captured in the #SexForGrades exposé. We cannot allow this sort of deplorable behaviour to fester.

“In 2016, my colleagues and I in the Eighth Senate passed the ‘Sexual Harassment in Tertiary Education Institution Prohibition Bill’ to prescribe a five-year jail term for any lecturer, educationist or person in a position of authority in any tertiary institution in Nigeria found guilty of such conduct.

… guilty of such conduct.

I appeal to the 9th Senate & President @MBuhari to revisit this Bill so that we can implement the institutional reforms necessary to safeguard our children in educational institutions in the country.

— Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki (@bukolasaraki) October 7, 2019

“I appeal to the Ninth Senate and President Muhammadu Buhari
to revisit this Bill so that we can implement the institutional reforms necessary to safeguard our children in educational institutions in the country.

“I also urge the institutions to conduct robust investigations, not only on the accused but also for all other reports and complaints that come in.

“We need to believe victims and make institutions safer for our students.”