(High Court. Photo by. The Gaurdian Nigeria News)
A 20-year-old University of Lagos student broke down in tears at the Lagos State High Court as she recounted a harrowing assault by her lecturer, Samuel Obinna Ojogbo. On Wednesday, a 20-year-old University of Lagos student described to a Lagos State High Court in Ikeja how Samuel Obinna Ojogbo, a 53-year-old lecturer at the institution, allegedly attacked her in his office.
As the first prosecution witness in Ojogbo’s ongoing trial, the student testified before Justice Oyindamola Ogala. Ojogbo is facing two charges of rape and sexual assault from the Lagos State Government.
The witness, who was led in evidence-in-chief by prosecution attorney A.O. Azeez, stated that the event happened at the university’s Akoka campus on August 22, 2025, at around 1200 hours.
When the victim entered the witness box, she began by introducing herself: “I am a student of the University of Lagos.”
She recalled that a day before the incident, while writing an examination, the defendant approached her. The victim stated, “Prior to the 22nd of August, 2025, on the 21st of August, I was writing an exam not related to banking.
“I was seated in the first row, the first seat. The defendant came inside at the first row while I was writing my exam and asked, ‘Hope it is what I read that came out?’ I said yes, that I knew a particular section more than the other section.”
She said, “After my exam, he told me not to worry and to come see him in his office.” The witness told the court that she attempted to meet him twice after the exam but did not find him in his office.
According to her, “The second time I went with my friend, he wasn’t around either, so I left. “The second day, being 22nd August, I had another exam slated from 9:00am to 12:00pm, but the defendant was the one taking us.
However, on August 22, after completing another examination, she said she encountered the lecturer near her faculty.
“I was going to my hostel when I saw him. He signalled to me to wait. He signalled to me that I should wait, and I waited because he was talking to somebody. “We then went to his office together,” she said.
Describing the office, she told the court, “His office is underground. There is no window and no secretary.” She said that while they were talking, two female students briefly entered the office to meet him about the tests they missed, but were sent away by the defendant.
“He told them to leave, that they were disturbing him,” she said. According to her, the incident occurred shortly after.
“On their way out, they didn’t close the door well. He told me to close the door. As I went to close it, he stood behind me and pushed me to the couch beside the door,” she said.
The prosecution witness narrated amidst tears that “he started caressing me, touched my breasts, and then forced himself on me. He raped me.”
She further told the court that after the incident, the defendant allegedly made promises regarding her academic progress. “He said he would make sure he supervises my project in Year Four. He collected my exam docket, made a copy, gave me one, and collected my phone number,” she said.
The witness said she left the office in tears and immediately reported the incident. she said, “I went to my friend crying, and we agreed to report.”
Before they went to the department head, she informed the court that she initially reported to a lecturer in her department, who then got in touch with her uncle, who is also a lecturer.
“After that, we visited Dr. Abu, a lecturer in my department; he summoned my uncle, who also teaches there. We then proceeded to the HOD’s office. “Where is the evidence, and why don’t I record with my phone?” he said when we arrived in the HOD’s office.
The defendant was then summoned to his office. When the defendant arrived, he claimed that I was lying to him and that nothing of the such had occurred.
“My uncle and I should just let it go, the HOD stated, and I should be extra cautious with professors alone the next time. After that, we departed from his office.
We can’t just let it go like that, according to my uncle. At school, we visited Servicom. I went to the medical center for testing with a woman when I arrived at Servicom. They then gave prescriptions for medications.
She also stated in her testimony that she was referred to the police after reporting the incident to the Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Agency.
She stated, “I was referred to the Bariga Police Station and then to WARIF for another test.” She added that the case was subsequently transferred to the Gender Unit of the police command for investigation.
The witness also told the court that following the report, there were attempts at settlement. “After all these, the defendant’s family and friends started calling for a meeting,” she said.
In order to allow for the witness’s cross-examination, Justice Ogala postponed the case until April 27, 2026.