A 20-year-old student of the University of Lagos (UNILAG) has narrated how a 53-year-old lecturer of the school, identified as Samuel Obinna Ojogbo, allegedly assaulted her in his office, while testifying in Lagos State High Court sitting in Ikeja.
The student, whose name was withheld, recounted the incident before Justice Oyindamola Ogala while testifying as the first prosecution witness in the ongoing trial of Ojogbo on Wednesday.
The Lagos State Government is prosecuting Ojogbo on a two-count charge of rape and sexual assault.
Count one of the charge reads, “That you, Dr. Samuel Obinna Ojogbo “M”, on the 22nd of August, 2025 at about 1200hours, at the University of Lagos, Akoka Campus, Lagos State, in the Lagos Magisterial District, did rape one (names withheld) “F” 20years by having sexual intercourse with her without her consent in your office and thereby committed an offence punishable under section 260 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State of Nigeria, 2015.”
Count two reads, “That you, Dr. Samuel Ojogbo “M”, on the same date, time, and place, in the aforesaid Magisterial District, did sexually assaulted one … (names withheld) “F” 20years an undergraduate of the University of Lagos State, Akoka Lagos State by pressing her breasts with your hand In your office and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 263(1) of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State of Nigeria, 2015.”
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At the commencement of the trial, the victim told the court that her lecturer forcefully raped her in his underground office.
Led in evidence-in-chief by State Prosecution Counsel, A.O. Azeez, the witness said the incident occurred on August 22, 2025, at about 12:00 hours, at the university’s Akoka campus.
Giving evidence, the victim stated, “Before the 22nd of August, 2025, on 21st August, I was writing an exam not related to Banking. I was seated in the first row, the first seat. Ojogbo came inside at the first row, writing my exam, and asked, ‘Hope it is what I read that came out, and I said yes, that I knew a particular section more than the other section. He said I should not worry, that after my exam, I should come and see him in his office.”
She told the court that the defendant was not around both times she went to his office after the exam.
According to her, “The second time I went with my friend Temi, he wasn’t around, and then I left.
Testifying further, the victim said, “The second day, being 22nd August, I had another exam slated 9:00 a.m. to 12:0p.m, but the defendant was the one taking us. After that, I was going to my hostel. I saw the defendant on my way to my hostel in front of the faculty. He signalled to me that I should wait, and I waited, because he was talking to somebody. We went to his office together. His office is underground, there’s no window, and there’s no secretary either.
”When the defendant and I went inside, we sat down. We were talking, and he asked me how the exam I wrote was for his paper. I said it was okay, though I didn’t finish it. As we were talking, two ladies came into his office to meet him about tests they had missed. He told them to leave his office, that they should stop disturbing him, and that what he is going to do, he is going to do. On their way out, they didn’t close the door well. He told me to go and close the door. As I went to close the door, he stood behind me and pushed me to the couch beside the door.”
The victim further testified that “He started caressing me, then forced himself on me. He started touching my breasts, then the defendant raped me. After the Ojogbo was done, he said he was going to make sure he supervised my project in Year four. Then he collected my exam docket, made a copy of it and gave me a copy of it, and he also collected my number.
”Then we both left the office, and I went to my friend crying, and we said we were going to report.
”We then went to a lecturer in my department, Dr Abu, who called my uncle, who is also a lecturer in the department. Then we went to the HOD office. When we got to the HOD office, he asked if what I was saying was true. He said where is the evidence, and why don’t I record with my phone. Then he called the defendant to his office, when the defendant came, he said nothing of such happened, that I was just lying against him. The HOD said that my uncle and I should just let it go, and said next time I should be more careful with lecturers alone. Then we left his office.”
The victim also revealed that she was directed by the Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Agency (DSVA) to the Bariga Divisional Police Station and Women at Risk International Foundation (WARIF) for further medical tests.
She said, “My uncle said we can’t just let it go like that. We went to Servicom at school. When I got to Servicom, a woman and I went to the medical centre for a test. Then, after that, they prescribed drugs. I went to DSVA, but I can’t remember the day; it was the following week because it happened on a Friday.”
”At the DSVA, I wrote a statement, and they referred me to the Bariga Police Station. They referred me to WARIF for another test. I did a test at WARIF. After that, I went back to Bariga Police Station. From the Bariga Police station, we were invited to the Commissioner of Police’s office, and the case was transferred to the Gender Section. From the Gender Section, the Police went to the school. After all these had happened, the defendant’s family and friends started calling them for a meeting,” the victim concluded.
Justice Ogala adjourned the matter till April 27 for cross-examination.
