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The management of Nnamdi Azikiwe University (UNIZIK), Awka, has expelled a student, Goddy-Mbakwe Chimamaka Precious, for reportedly assaulting a lecturer following a clash over a TikTok video. The incident, which gained widespread attention after footage circulated online, involved Precious attacking Dr Chukwudi Okoye from the Department of Theatre and Film Studies.
In an official expulsion letter dated Feb. 13, 2025, and signed by Acting Registrar Victor I. Modebelu, the university stated that the decision followed the recommendation of the Student Disciplinary Committee, who said they found Precious guilty of gross misconduct under Regulation 4 (SDR) of the institution’s disciplinary regulations.
The altercation reportedly occurred when Dr Okoye attempted to pass through a hallway where Precious was recording a TikTok video. Dr Okoye, in his account, stated that he had asked Precious to excuse him while passing through the hallway. He recounted that after hearing what he believed to be an insult to him, he returned to verify if she was his student and to ensure she deleted the video.
“She tore my clothes, slapped and scratched my face, and generally went berserk,” Dr. Okoye said in a statement. “She even accused me of stripping her naked in the faculty.”
Precious, however, presented a different version of events. In a statement titled “My Own Side of the Story,” she said the lecturer pushed her while she was filming and that she felt faint and disrespected. According to her, Dr Okoye later attempted to snatch her phone, which led to a struggle. She further said that he inappropriately touched her during the altercation, prompting her to bite him in self-defence.
“I was devastated when my phone fell and broke,” she wrote. “But the situation took a dark turn when the lecturer grasped my breast region. I tried to cover myself and pleaded with him to let go, but he refused. In desperation, I bit his hand.”
However, the university stated that her actions constituted gross misconduct. The expulsion letter emphasised that she must vacate the school premises immediately and return any university property in her possession.
In Nigeria, women have historically been denied access to education. In 2018/2019, only 44% of undergraduate students in Nigerian universities were female, with males being the majority of students in higher institutions.
