The Court of Appeal, Abuja Division, has upheld the conviction of Professor Cyril Osim Ndifon, former Dean of the Faculty of Law at the University of Calabar (UNICAL), over allegations that he solicited pornographic, indecent and obscene photographs from a female student through electronic communication.
The appellate court delivered its judgment on September 18, 2026, in Appeal No. CA/ABJ/CR/1798/2025, affirming the Federal High Court’s conviction of Professor Ndifon on Count One of the charge.
The offence was prosecuted under Section 24 of the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act, 2015.
The Federal High Court, presided over by Justice James Omotosho, had convicted Ndifon on November 17, 2025, after finding that the prosecution had established the offence beyond reasonable doubt. He was sentenced to two years’ imprisonment without an option of fine on Count One.
The Court of Appeal has now affirmed both the conviction and sentence on that count, dismissing Ndifon’s challenge to the decision.
The case arose from electronic communications which the prosecution said showed the former law dean soliciting pornographic, indecent and obscene photographs from a female student while he was serving as dean of the Faculty of Law at UNICAL.
However, the Court of Appeal made a different finding regarding Count Two, which concerned an alleged conferment of undue advantage under Section 19 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act.
While the Federal High Court had imposed a five-year sentence on Count Two, the Court of Appeal held that the Federal High Court lacked jurisdiction to entertain that particular offence.
The appellate court consequently directed that the matter relating to Count Two be prosecuted before the High Court of Cross River State.
The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), which prosecuted the case, has indicated that it is taking steps to challenge the jurisdictional decision on Count Two.
The development means that the two-year conviction relating to the cybercrime offence remains affirmed by the Court of Appeal, while the legal proceedings concerning the second count are to continue before the appropriate court in Cross River State.
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