Womanifesto, a coalition of over 500 women’s rights organisations, haa raised alarm over what they described as absolute horror at the orgy of sexual violence being perpetrated against women in Ozoro, Delta State
The coalition, in a statement signed by its co- convener, Dr Abiola Akiyode-Afolabi said that the sexual violence against women is being perpetrated under the cover of a so-called traditional festival.
The statement lamented that witnessed showed women being stripped naked in public and subjected to mob attacks by groups of men.
‘This is not our culture. This is organised, institutionalised rape culture, and it must be named as such. No tradition, no deity, no community elder, and no cultural practice has the authority to suspend the bodily autonomy of women’, the statement reads.
“Nigeria’s 1999 Constitution guarantees every citizen the right to dignity, freedom of movement, and protection from inhumane treatment. These rights do not evaporate at noon. The Violence Against Persons Prohibition Act (2015) confirms that the threat of violence is violence in itself.
“Hence, any person or authority that tells women to stay indoors or face violence is committing a crime punishable under Nigerian Law. That any community could codify the sexual assault of women into a festival, decreeing that any woman found outside.”
Womanifesto said it condemned the attacks without reservation or qualification, and equally condemned the community leaders who sanctiones this violence, and the bystanders who watched and did nothing, or worse, filmed the violation of th women.
“We demand, immediately and without delay: That the Delta State Government deploy security forces to Ozoro to halt these attacks and protect women and girls for the remainder of this festival period.
“That the Inspector-General of Police and the Delta State Commissioner of Police make arrests of perpetrators, including those identifiable in circulating video footage, and prosecute them to the fullest extent of the law;
“That the Federal Government of Nigeria issue a clear public statement affirming that no traditional festival supersedes constitutional rights or federal law, including the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act;
“That traditional rulers and community leaders in Ozoro publicly and unequivocally disavow any claim that this violence is sanctioned by tradition. We also call upon Nigerian civil society, women’s rights organisations, the National Human Rights Commission, and international bodies, including the United Nations, to treat this situation with the urgency it demands. Videos of women being stripped and assaulted by mobs are evidence of crimes in progress and must be treated as such’, the statement said.
A viral video circulating on social media drew concerns after allegedly showing women being sexually assaulted during a local festival in Ozoro, Delta State.
The footage, which emerged on Friday, depicts groups of young men reportedly attacking women in public, forcibly tearing their clothes, and subjecting them to various forms of molestation. During the festival, women are forbidden from going out.
Some reports suggest that women found outside during the period became targets of harassment, and there are unverified claims that certain victims may have been r@ped.
Reacting to the disturbing video, the Delta State Police Command described the incident as “alarming, disgusting and embarrassing.”
Spokesperson Bright Edafe in a terse statement on X said the Commissioner of Police, Aina Adesola, had immediately ordered a full investigation.
Edafe wrote on X: “This is alarming, disgusting and embarrassing. The CP has ordered an investigation into the incident. The command condemns this in totality, no custom or tradition is superior to the rights of citizens. The Commissioner of Police Delta State CP Aina Adesola urges Deltans to remain calm while assuring that those responsible for this barbaric act will be arrested and brought to justice. The command also calls for witnesses who can provide with useful information that can aid the ongoing investigation.”
Edafe also said the Commissioner of Police, Aina Adesola, has ordered the transfer of persons arrested in connection with the festival to the State Criminal Investigation Department.
“The community head and chief organiser of the event, one chief Omorede Sunday and four other suspects from Oramudu quarters in Ozoro 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,” he wrote.
