*FG Orders Prosecution
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The head of Oramudu Quarter in Ozoro community, Chief Omorede Sunday, and four other suspects have been arrested following the mass sexual assault of women and female students during the controversial ‘Alue-Do’ traditional festival in Ozoro, headquarters of Isoko North Local Government Area of Delta State, an incident that has sparked nationwide outrage and drawn condemnation from the federal government, state government, the Nigerian Bar Association, human rights groups, and over 500 women’s organisations.
Videos of the incident, which occurred on Thursday, March 19, surfaced on social media on Friday showing young women being chased, stripped, and molested in broad daylight by mobs of youths during what was described as a fertility rite aimed at invoking blessings of children for couples experiencing difficulty with childbirth.
The Delta State Government described the acts as barbaric and unacceptable, the Federal Government directed the arrest of all suspects, and the Nigeria Police Force confirmed arrests and launched a full-scale investigation, declaring that no custom or tradition is superior to the rights of citizens.
The ‘Alue-Do’ festival, described by locals as a periodically held cultural event in the Ozoro community, involves controversial practices including restrictions on women’s movement during certain hours. According to residents, any woman found outdoors during the restricted period risks being targeted for harassment by men.
Organisers of the festival reportedly announced its commencement and warned that no woman should go out on Thursday. However, several women and female students of Southern Delta University, which is located in Ozoro, were caught unaware or did not understand the announcement.
Multiple videos that went viral showed horrifying scenes of coordinated attacks. In one widely shared clip, a young woman seated on a motorcycle was dragged to the ground by a group of youths who assaulted her and tore her clothes. Another video showed a young woman fleeing as her attackers pulled her dress, leaving her exposed. A separate clip captured a victim struggling to shield herself from a mob.
The exact number of victims could not be independently verified, but the Student Union Government President of Southern Delta University, Oribelua Precious, confirmed that some victims were students who were admitted to hospital.
“When we got to the hospital, the doctor on duty confirmed that no student was penetrated but they were molested; although an attempt to rape anyone cannot be taken lightly because it is a serious matter,” Precious stated after leading a delegation to the monarch’s palace.
He added that students said they could not understand the announcement warning women to stay indoors until the attacks had already begun, noting that as non-indigenes, they were unfamiliar with the local custom.
Female residents described a climate of terror during the festival. A resident who spoke on condition of anonymity said the organisers announced the commencement of the festival and warned that no woman should go out.
On TikTok, a user identified as Vallery, who claimed to be a resident, wrote: “So bad. I locked myself inside the house.” Another user, Slim Mama, said: “Same here. I have been so scared to step outside my door.”
Businesses and shops were shut across the town as non-indigenes fled in fear.
The Ovie of Ozoro Kingdom, His Royal Majesty Anthony Ogbogbo, reacting at his palace on Friday, said he was not aware of the festival and had never heard of such practices in his more than 20 years as monarch.
“I have more than 200 videos and photographs of what transpired. Government officials, kings across the world have been calling me to know what is happening. I have been a king for more than 20 years. I have never heard that a festival is celebrated with girls being harassed, sexually molested or raped in my community all in the name of a festival,” the monarch stated.
In a joint statement by the President-General, Chief Berkley Asiafa, and Secretary-General, Prince Obaro Egware, the Ozoro community acknowledged that some youths acted irresponsibly. The leaders condemned the actions, stressing that such behaviour was not part of the community’s culture and would not be tolerated. They confirmed that security agencies had been contacted and investigations were ongoing.
The Delta State Police Command confirmed the arrest of Chief Omorede Sunday, identified as the community head and chief organiser of the event, along with four other suspects from Oramudu Quarter in Ozoro.
Police Public Relations Officer SP Bright Edafe announced that the Commissioner of Police had ordered their immediate transfer to the State Criminal Investigation Department.
“The community head and chief organiser of the event and four other suspects have been arrested. The CP has ordered that they should be transferred to State CID with immediate effect. The CP vows that anyone involved will be arrested and brought to justice,” Edafe stated.
He added that a full-scale investigation had been launched and declared: “No custom or tradition is superior to the rights of citizens.”
The police called on witnesses and victims to come forward with useful information to aid ongoing investigations.
The Delta State Government condemned the incident in the strongest terms. Commissioner for Works (Rural Roads) and Public Information Charles Aniagwu said no cultural gathering should serve as cover for criminal acts.
“The Delta State Government strongly condemns the harassment of women and the reported cases of sexual assault during the Ozoro festival. Such barbaric acts are totally unacceptable and have no place in our society,” Aniagwu stated.
He reaffirmed the government’s zero-tolerance policy for gender-based violence, directed security agencies to carry out thorough investigations, and warned that anyone found culpable would face the full weight of the law.
“Cultural practices must not override fundamental human rights,” the commissioner emphasised.
The Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, described the incident as disturbing and directed the arrest of all suspects.
“No cultural or traditional practice can justify or excuse sexual violence in any form. Sexual assault is a serious criminal offence, and all allegations must be thoroughly investigated, with perpetrators held fully accountable under the law,” the minister stated.
She commended the swift response of the Delta State Police Command and called for a transparent, thorough, and accelerated investigation. She reaffirmed the federal government’s commitment to prioritising the safety, dignity, and protection of women and girls.
The National Association of Nigerian Students, Zone B, described the incident as a gross violation of human rights. Zonal Coordinator Victor Anthony said the development posed a direct threat to the safety and dignity of students.
“It is particularly alarming that such incidents are occurring in a student-dominated environment, as Ozoro hosts Southern Delta University,” Anthony stated.
NANS directed its Joint Campus Council in Delta State to carry out an on-the-spot assessment and confirmed that its leadership, alongside the Students’ Union President, visited affected victims receiving treatment.
Former NBA-SPIDEL Chairman Monday Ubani described the incident as a clear criminal offence.
“If people organise a programme where such acts occur, the police must investigate and ensure those responsible are punished. Cultural festivals must evolve in line with constitutional protections and modern legal standards. This should not be tolerated in any sane society,” Ubani stated.
Human rights lawyer Inibehe Effiong condemned the acts on X, stating: “There can be no culture in any part of Nigeria that permits the targeting or discrimination of women.”
A coalition of over 500 women’s rights organisations under the aegis of Womanifesto issued a joint condemnation, describing the incident as organised and institutionalised abuse.
In a statement signed by co-convener Abiola Akiyode-Afolabi, the coalition called for immediate arrest and prosecution of all those responsible.
“This is not our culture. This is organised and institutionalised abuse, and it must be treated as a crime,” the statement read.
The coalition noted that Nigeria’s Constitution guarantees the right to dignity, freedom of movement, and protection from inhumane treatment, and that such rights cannot be suspended under any circumstance. It also referenced the Violence Against Persons Prohibition Act, stating that threats of violence or restrictions imposed on women are punishable offences.
Former Minister of Education Oby Ezekwesili described the incident as a failure of governance and preventive policing, saying the scale and coordination of the attacks suggested they were neither spontaneous nor isolated.
“When a society begins to warn women to stay indoors to avoid being attacked, instead of restraining perpetrators, that society signals a collapse of law, order and moral leadership,” Ezekwesili stated.
The incident triggered widespread condemnation on social media. Users questioned how such coordinated attacks could occur without prior intelligence or security intervention, noting that law enforcement agencies are usually aware of major community events.
Others criticised the delayed response, asking why action only followed after videos went viral, and questioned whether similar incidents had occurred in previous years without consequence.
The incident potentially engages several provisions of Nigerian law, including the Violence Against Persons Prohibition Act, which criminalises all forms of violence against persons including sexual assault, forced exposure, and restrictions on movement; the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, which guarantees the right to dignity of the human person, freedom of movement, and protection from inhuman and degrading treatment; and the Criminal Code Act, which criminalises assault, indecent assault, and conspiracy to commit unlawful acts.
The question of whether the organisers of the festival and community leaders who sanctioned the restrictions on women’s movement bear criminal liability alongside the youths who carried out the physical assaults is expected to be a key issue in the ongoing investigation and any subsequent prosecution.
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