A heated altercation between a lecturer and a student at Nnamdi Azikiwe University (UNIZIK) has gone viral, prompting the school’s management to launch an investigation. The incident, which occurred at the Faculty of Arts building, involved Chukwudi Okoye, a lecturer from the Department of Theatre Arts, and Precious Mbakwe, a third-year student of History and International Studies.
Videos circulating online show Mbakwe recording a TikTok video in a corridor when Okoye, attempting to pass, tapped her and said, “excuse me.” This brief interaction quickly escalated into a confrontation that turned chaotic.
Lecturer’s Account: “All Hell Let Loose”
In a video shared on Facebook, Okoye recounted his version of events. He explained that he was walking to his office when he encountered Mbakwe filming in the hallway.
“She was making a TikTok video, and I needed to pass because someone was on the other side,” he said. “I just tapped her and said, ‘excuse me,’ and walked off.”
However, the situation took a turn when Mbakwe reacted angrily. “She made an insulting comment, so I stopped to confirm if she was a student or one from my department,” Okoye stated.
The lecturer then requested that Mbakwe delete the video. “I actually asked her to delete it right in front of me,” he said. “When she refused, I stretched my hand to confiscate the phone. And that was when all hell let loose.”
Videos from the scene show Mbakwe confronting Okoye, pulling his clothes, and eventually tearing the right side of his brown native outfit. She also bit him, leaving visible marks on his arm. Pictures online show Okoye receiving medical treatment, reportedly at the school clinic.
When contacted by Premium Times to clarify whether he physically tried to seize the phone, Okoye denied touching it. “No. I didn’t touch it. My hands didn’t even get to the phone,” he responded.
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Student’s Account: “I Was Mortified”
Mbakwe, however, tells a different story. In a social media post, she claimed that while recording her video, someone pushed her and said, “excuse me.” She initially thought it was a student but was surprised to see it was a lecturer.
“I whispered to my friend, ‘Omo, see how this lecturer pushed me,’” she wrote.
She then alleged that Okoye tried to take her phone. “Someone immediately tried to grab my phone from behind, and I held on tightly. When I turned, I saw it was the same man who interrupted my video,” she said.
According to her, she did not know he was a lecturer at the time. “I pleaded with him, ‘Sorry sir, why are you dragging my phone?’ But he remained silent, tugging at my phone until it fell and broke.”
She further claimed that during the struggle, Okoye “grabbed her breast region and said unspeakable things.”
“I was stunned, trying to comprehend the horror unfolding before me. As I realized my cleavage was exposed, I begged him to let me go, but he ignored my pleas, holding me firmly. His nails and clutches left certain prints and scratches on my chest,” she alleged.
She admitted that she bit his hand in an attempt to break free. “That was when I held his clothes and accidentally tore his shirt.”
According to Mbakwe, the situation worsened when students from Okoye’s department arrived with weapons, and she was eventually taken away by security officials.
University Responds
Following the incident, UNIZIK management announced that an investigation is underway. The university has not yet stated what disciplinary action, if any, will be taken against either party.
The confrontation has sparked mixed reactions on social media, with some users criticizing Mbakwe’s behavior, while others demand accountability if Okoye indeed attempted to take her phone or acted inappropriately.
For now, the case remains under review, and the university has urged students and staff to remain calm while the investigation unfolds.