The Delta State government has pledged to ensure justice for women who were sexually assaulted in Ozoro during an alleged festival, an incident captured in viral videos. SaharaReporters initially brought the footage to light, showing women being molested by young men during what some referred to as a “raping festival.” Mr. Ossai Ovie Success, Senior Special Assistant on Media to the Delta State Governor, vehemently condemned the actions, stating that no such festival exists in the state and expressing his profound disappointment and shock. He affirmed the government’s commitment to ensuring the perpetrators face legal consequences and emphasized that Delta State has zero tolerance for abuse, with laws in place to protect citizens’ rights. Ovie also stressed that no tradition or festival can justify harming or embarrassing anyone, especially women, and confirmed that investigations are underway to identify and apprehend those involved, with security agencies directed to increase patrols and monitor gatherings.

Widespread outrage has erupted following the viral videos depicting young women being harassed, stripped, and groped by groups of men in the Oruamudhu community, Ozoro, Isoko North Local Government Area. The police have confirmed the arrest of the event’s organizer, Chief Omorede Sunday (community head), and four other suspects. Videos showed visibly distressed women with torn clothes and subjected to degrading treatment. Many Nigerians have denounced the event as a “rape festival” and demanded immediate action from security agencies. Further criticism was sparked by reports that women in the community were expected to remain indoors from 12 pm on the day of the festival until the following day, a restriction also echoed in WhatsApp warnings to female students of Southern Delta University, Ozoro. The Commissioner of Police has ordered the immediate transfer of the suspects to the State Criminal Investigation Department for further investigation, vowing to bring all involved to justice.

A coalition of over 500 women’s rights organizations, united under the banner of Womanifesto, has expressed absolute horror and outrage over what they described as a “coordinated campaign of sexual violence and assault” against women in Ozoro under the pretext of a festival. In a statement signed by co-convener Dr. Abiola Akiyode-Afolabi, the groups, including ActionAid Nigeria, Bring Back Our Girls, and Women Advocates Research and Documentation Center, condemned the acts as “organised, institutionalised rape culture” that cannot be justified by any cultural or traditional claims. Womanifesto highlighted that the alleged festival includes a directive making any woman found outside after noon vulnerable to molestation, branding this arrangement as criminal and a “pogrom against women” if scheduled for seven days. The coalition asserted that no cultural practice overrides constitutional rights to dignity, freedom of movement, and protection from inhumane treatment, citing the Violence Against Persons Prohibition Act (2015), which confirms that threats of violence are themselves an offense. The groups condemned not only the perpetrators but also community leaders who sanctioned these acts and bystanders who failed to intervene. Womanifesto demanded that the Delta State Government deploy security forces to protect women, that the Inspector-General of Police and Delta State Commissioner of Police arrest and prosecute perpetrators, that the Federal Government issue a public statement affirming constitutional rights over traditional festivals, and that Ozoro traditional rulers publicly disavow any claim that such violence is culturally sanctioned. They also urged civil society organizations, the National Human Rights Commission, and international bodies like the United Nations to treat this as an urgent human rights crisis.

ActionAid Nigeria further condemned the incidents, describing them as a grave violation of human dignity. Andrew Mamedu, the organization’s Country Director, stated that the circulating videos highlight serious lapses in ensuring public safety during community events. ActionAid warned against any attempts to justify or trivialize the incidents on cultural grounds, emphasizing that violence against women and girls must never be excused. The organization noted that the incident reflects deeper systemic issues, including harmful social norms and weak enforcement mechanisms that allow gender-based violence to persist. ActionAid called on Governor Sheriff Oborevwori to ensure all involved are identified, arrested, and prosecuted, and to make public the steps taken by authorities. They also urged accountability for law enforcement agencies and appealed to the Federal and Delta State Ministries of Women Affairs to provide urgent support to victims, including medical care, counseling, legal aid, and safe reporting channels. Additionally, ActionAid called on traditional authorities in Ozoro Kingdom to review cultural practices that may expose women and girls to harm, reiterating that human dignity must always take precedence.