The Court of Appeal in Abuja has upheld the conviction and two-year imprisonment imposed on Cyril Ndifon, former Dean of the Faculty of Law, University of Calabar (UNICAL), over allegations that he solicited pornographic photographs from a female student.
In a judgment delivered in Appeal No. CA/ABJ/CR/1798/2025, the appellate court affirmed the decision of the Federal High Court, Abuja, on the first count of the charge.
However, the Court of Appeal held that the Federal High Court lacked jurisdiction to entertain the second count against the former UNICAL dean and ordered a fresh prosecution of that count before the Cross River State High Court.
The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission disclosed this in a statement issued on Friday by its spokesperson, Okor Odey.
Ndifon was convicted by the Federal High Court on November 17, 2025, and sentenced to two years’ imprisonment on the first count and five years on the second.
The sentences were ordered to run concurrently.
The first count was filed under Section 24 of the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act, 2015, over allegations that Ndifon, while serving as dean, solicited “pornographic, indecent and obscene photographs” from a female student through electronic communication.
Justice James Omotosho, who presided over the trial at the Federal High Court, held that the prosecution had established the offence beyond reasonable doubt.
The second count alleged that Ndifon conferred an undue advantage on himself, contrary to Section 19 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000.
The Court of Appeal, however, ruled that the Federal High Court lacked jurisdiction to try that count under the ICPC Act.
The ICPC said it had commenced steps to challenge the appellate court’s decision on the second count at the Supreme Court.
“The Commission considers the jurisdictional question arising from count two to be a matter requiring further judicial determination,” the statement said.
Ndifon was removed as Dean of the Faculty of Law at UNICAL in 2023 following allegations of sexual harassment involving female students.
The ICPC had alleged that Ndifon asked a female diploma student, identified as TKJ, to send him pornographic and obscene photographs through an instant messaging platform.
The commission also alleged that he demanded sexual acts from the student in connection with her admission to the university.
During the trial, the prosecution relied on witness testimony and electronic communications between Ndifon and the student.
