ABU Sexual Abuse: Prof. Ibrahim Garba (Vice Chancellor) Should Do More -By Muhammad Auwal Ibrahim

Recently, I read a news published by daily trust online about sex scandal in ABU Zaria. These days, I read several reports on the same issue. I have read how people reacted to the issue. They only concentrated on the sexual abuse without observing the case from all angles. First and foremost, let me start by establishing that both zina (illegitimate sex) and rape are not permissible in islam. Therefore, both should be frowned at and not only rape. Let me state from the onset that it is good to change an abominable act whenever it occurs. No any sensible person will be happy with this animalistic behaviour. What such dishonourable people (whether lecturers or not) are doing in the process of discharging their duties is condemnable. I am writing to inform the Vice Chancellor incase he don’t know which I don’t believe so and those that have never been to ABU to know the real situation from all faces.

When I read the news published by daily trust online, I said it is not sexual harassment if it is in the ABU I know, because I have seen dirty/ungodly behaviours happened in ABU that I have never seen before. It is so sad that a learning institution like ABU that we go to learn and the people that always say that they teach both character and learning are involved in such act. Indeed this is a big shame. There maybe lecturers who are dishonourable in ABU. One can’t deny this because it is a place that gathers so many people from both home and abroad. However, just like staffs, there are undistinguished students who don’t know their purpose of being at the university. This type of Abusites are those who indecently dress and move freely to everywhere and do what they wish in both campus and off campus without the fear of being called to order even though they are wrong. They also hurt others at the same time.

I know we all know that one of our differences with animals (e.g goats) is clothing. So when human beings decide not to decently dress, then they become similar to animals even if not worse than them. The reason why every he goat, follows every she goat in the street is their animalistic nature. That’s why if a lady appears to be an animal e.g goat (by her mode of dressing), their are others who will join her to be goats. This may be the case in ABU. I always argue that there is no way a person will disturb a lady except if she is also interested. And most ladies in ABU appeared to be interested by their mode of dressing. I hope you understand what I mean by disturbance. There is nothing beautiful in nakedness. That’s why when one dresses in good attires, he looks very nice.

As I always say, for everything, there is a basis. The basis for this, is not enforcing good dress code in ABU Zaria. My dear reader, if you have been to ABU or you are in ABU you know what I am saying. There is no way you will allow students to dress half naked, imitating animals and then think that you are not expecting sexual abuse. You should be expecting it even if not from lecturers because they are inviting unnecessary attention of others. Students of now adays are very stubborn so there must be laws to guide them.

Moreover, uncultured Abusites are closing unlawful sex (zina) even if not committing it. Lest I forget, the law of Almighty Allah says we should not close zina. Those in ABU know how male and female greet by shaking hands, know how they hug each other, know how they kiss each other, know how they sit on each others laps freely in public (in a lecture hall). It is so sad that all these are not prohibited. It becomes too bad when a students leader engages in it. Therefore, whether a lecturer harasses a student or not, the students on their own engage in such unlawful sex which is haram. This has been manifested in a report made available online by daily trust on 10th October, 2019 that some students are found pregnant in BUK. I doubt if they were all sexually abused or harrassed

I will only agree that that case was sexual abuse, if the said victim is a saint. However, if she is not, I won’t. Whether you like it or not, some female students paved the way to it by inviting attention through indecent dressing as the case with some Abusites. Let me give you an example, there is no way you would leave your house without fencing, maybe without even locking the door knowingly that there are no guards and then think you are not inviting thieves to your house in this country of ours. Infact, you are sending them a formal invitation, if you don’t know. The same applies to the issue of sex. All the protectives supposed to be there, are not in place. Their absence make you to be attacked very easily.

The management on its own should not have allowed female students dress any how. We can’t say there is no dress code, but it seems to be useless since it is not fully enforced everywhere except in places like senate building. Why? They know that it is improper. On rare occasions, dress mode is checked before me at north gate. On 1st April, 2019, public affairs directorate of ABU released a bulletin on its facebook page, volume:10 no: 17 about dress code. Despite that, female Abusites still come out with armless shirts, short skirts, vest like shirts and their heads uncovered and people are quite as if it is right. This is immorality.

To avoid sexual abuse, Abusites must abide by the Islamic law which makes it compulsory on all muslim women to cover their whole body except their faces and their palms. After that, obey the good dress code of the institution and keep praying. By the Will of Almighty Allah, things would be better.

If only, the Vice Chancellor of ABU wants to end sex in general on campus, then more should be done in terms of dress code regulation, monitor the movement of students in some areas at night inorder to prevent people from becoming victims and ensure there is proper lighting system at night. However, sacking of lecturers is not the best solution ABU management could do. We have seen how they escaped the sacking. The Vice Chancellor of ABU can do better than that. So long as the Vice Chancellor of ABU doesn’t enforce dress code, doesn’t provide proper lighting system and doesn’t block some corridors, sex will continue to prevail whether abusively or willingly which are both haram (unlawful).

Apart from the management and the Vice Chancellor, the staffs can also play a vital role by not allowing such uncultured students access their offices and lectures whenever they are indecently dressed. If they can stop late comers from attending their lectures, they should do this. Infact, no one should be allowed into campus, if his/her mode of dressing is indecent.

Now that the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Ibrahim Garba is quiting as ABU Vice Chancellor and having won Vice Chancellor of the year award, I will implore on him to leave a good legacy for us to remember him and for his successor to build on where he stops.

Finally, may Almighty Allah protect us from committing all evil acts, give us the ability to accept the truth and give us the ability to reject lies. Amin