I have received threats over #SexForGrades investigation, says BBC journalist

Kiki Mordi, an undercover journalist with the BBC Africa Eye, says she received threats after completing an investigation which exposed sexual harassment in West African universities.

Igbeneghu, a lecturer and former sub-dean of the faculty of arts at the University of Lagos (UNILAG), who is also head pastor of a Foursquare Gospel Church, was exposed in a 13-minute video documentary published by the BBC Africa Eye on Monday.

He was caught on camera sexually harassing an undercover reporter who posed as an admission seeker in the institution.

Mordi says her investigation was related to the experience she had while at university, which forced her to drop out of school.

Nope I never did. I'm a University drop-out.
I hope to go back to school though because I genuinely enjoy learning. I just hope to do it in a saner, safer environment.#SexForGrades https://t.co/0O8JILy6r0

— Kiki Mordi (@kikimordi) October 8, 2019

In an interview with Sahara Reporters, Mordi said since the investigation was completed, she has been receiving subtle threats.

“I have received subtle threats since this work was completed but I am not bothered because the BBC takes the security of employees seriously,” she said.

“Before embarking on this project, the team prayed a lot and also sang because it helped to calm the nerves. But I had to go through the trainings I received over and over again because I wanted to get it right.

“The bulk of the ritual I performed were reading, research and preparation. The biggest goal of this work was to be louder than the aggressor because sexual harassment is very loud. I wanted it to be silenced.”

Mordi said she is glad that things have been changing since the documentary was released, adding that more needs to be done to halt sexual harassment in African universities.

“I am happy that a lot is changing already since the documentary was release and I can confirm to you that one of the lecturers at the University of Lagos caught sexually harassing a prospective student has been dismissed by the institution,” she said.

“I believe it doesn’t stop there until there is a conviction. We have to break that culture of impunity.”

UNILAG suspended the lecturer while Foursquare Gospel Church has asked him to step down from all “ministerial assignments”.