A 24-year-old teacher, Phillip Ebong, was
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 handling 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."

Source:http://mobile.punchng.com/output.php?link=http://www.punchng.com/news/teacher-arrested-for-handling-14-year-old-pupil/

Men and their lusts for flesh, any flesh. Anyway, he is Innocent until proven guilty.