arrested on Wednesday by the Gowon Estate
Police Division, Akowonjo, Lagos, for
allegedly victimising a 14-year-old pupil
(name withheld) and banning her from
attending his classes.
Ebong, who teaches Physics and
Chemistry at the Dee Jewels
International College, Gowon Estate,
Egbeda, was arrested during school hours after a
complaint was lodged at the police station by
Spaces for Change, a non-governmental
organisation on youth development, on behalf of
the pupil and her guardian, Mrs. Theresa Amaechi.
A copy of the petition made available to PUNCH
Metro revealed that Ebong began harassing the
victim from the first day of her enrolment in the
school in January 2013.
The petition read, "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 alleged that under much pressure from
Ebong, the victim eventually invited the teacher to
her guardians' home while they were away.
Ebong was alleged to have cajoled her to expose her
private part, after fondling her breasts and kissing
her.
It was said the harassment became too persistent,
that the victim allegedly earned the title, "Uncle
Phillip's wife," among her classmates and friends.
Amaechi told PUNCH Metro, "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.
"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,"
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."
When confronted, Ebong allegedly denied the
accusation. He blamed the entire situation on his
interest in his students' success.
He said, "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."
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."
As of press time, PUNCH Metro gathered that the
police had obtained statements from the victim's
classmates and friends.
The Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer,
DSP Ngozi Braide, when contacted, said, "I will let
you know when I have the full details."
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