The recent reported assault of young women during a festival called 'Alue Do' in Uruamudhu, Ozoro, Isoko North local government area of Delta State, has generated reactions from across the state and country, as FELIX IGBEKOYI reports;
There has been public uproar on both traditional and social media over multiple videos circulated on X handles showing men tearing clothes of young women during the festival.
There were allegations of rape and sexual assault on women, including students of Southern Delta University, Ozoro, during the festival as confirmed by the videos showing young women being chased and harassed by men.
Some men groped the women in a manner seen as rather unacceptable in public. A young woman was crying, with her clothes torn as she was harassed.
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The Alue-Do Festival, regarded as a festival of fertility, is widely believed to be a cultural practice that brings blessings of children to individuals or couples experiencing difficulty in childbirth.
As part of the long-standing tradition, certain symbolic practices are observed, including the act of playfully dragging and pouring sand on married individuals who are yet to have children, believed to invoke fertility.
Some stakeholders claimed before the latest event, women were warned to remain indoors on the said date to avoid being molested, making many students to avoid classes.
But some ignored the warning since it didn't emanate from the school authorities.
The leadership of Ozoro Kingdom though agreed that some youths misinterpreted and misapplied the cultural practice in a negative and unacceptable manner, leading to the harassment of some young women, said it believed that no incident of rape was recorded.
The president general, Ozoro Kingdom, Chief Odio Berkley Asiafa and the secretary general, Prince Obaro Egware, urged the public to disregard false reports and refrain from spreading misinformation that may tarnish the cherished cultural heritage.
"We wish to address the general public and correct the wrong impression circulating on social media regarding events that occurred and clearly state that reports circulating on social media alleging that rape and widespread atrocities occurred during the festival are false and misleading.
"No incident of rape were recorded. The situation involved the harassment of two young women by individuals who took advantage of the occasion to act irresponsibly. We condemn any form of harassment or misconduct. The leadership of Ozoro Kingdom immediately contacted security agencies who brought the situation under control and are conducting their investigations," the statement said.
It condemned such behavior, saying it wasn't part of their culture and tradition and would not be tolerated. According to them, appropriate steps are being taken to address the actions of those involved and ensure that future celebrations are conducted in a peaceful, respectful and orderly manner.
Isoko North local government chairman, Godwin Ogorugba, also denied that rape occurred but condemned the assaults as "inhumane, barbaric, and totally unacceptable," promising to prosecute those responsible to serve as deterrent.
He added that some disgruntled individuals had exploited the festival to harass and assault women.
But the president of the Students Union Government (SUG) of Southern Delta University, Precious Augustine in another statement dated March 19, described the incident as "criminal, barbaric and evil."
"I speak not just as SUG president, but as a voice for every student who has been harassed, molested and violated," he said, "Rape is not culture, harassment is not tradition, violence against women will never be justified."
According to Precious, the incidents amounted to organised lawlessness and abuse, with victims reportedly subjected to "physical assault, molestation, and the tearing of their clothes. We will not tolerate a situation where students live in fear in an environment meant for education. We will not fold our arms while our sisters are violated."
Reacting, the state government has condemned the incident, describing it as "barbaric, heinous and unacceptable."
The government said no individual or group should be allowed to hide under the guise of a festival to perpetrate criminal acts.
The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) described the incident as "a national disgrace", and called for the immediate arrest and prosecution of the culprits.
NBA president, Afam Osigwe and chairperson of the NBA Women Forum, Huwaila Muhammad, in a statement said the incident reflected a breakdown of law, dignity and societal values that cannot be justified under the guise of culture.
"A society reveals its true character in how it treats its women. Where women are chased, stripped, assaulted and publicly humiliated under the guise of celebration, what is on display is not culture, it is barbarity.
"This was not a festival, this was lawlessness, this was gender-based violence in its most primitive and shameful form," they said.
They added that the acts constituted criminal offences including assault, sexual violence, and public indecency, as no tradition or cultural practice should permit violence against women.
"Any practice that permits such cruelty is not a culture. It is criminality," the statement added.
Police in the state have in the meantime arrested Omorede Sunday, a community leader, and four others over the incident.
The member representing Isoko North and Isoko South Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Hon. Jonathan Ajirioghene Ukodhiko, said festivals are meant to promote unity, heritage, and communal harmony but shocked it turned into avenues for criminality and abuse.
The lawmaker expressed deep sympathy with the victims, noting that such acts have no place in any civilised society or cultural celebration, and urged security agencies to ensure that all perpetrators are apprehended and prosecuted.
Delta police spokesman SP Bright Edafe said the commissioner of police, Aina Adesola, expressed grave concern over the incident and strongly condemned the acts, describing them as criminal, inhumane and a gross violation of the victims' fundamental rights and dignity.
According to the statement, the chief organiser of the event, identified as Chief Omorede Sunday, was arrested along with four other suspects. The police also confirmed the arrest of the head of Oramudu community in connection with the incident.
The command assured that those found culpable in the incident would be prosecuted in accordance with the law.
The police urged victims and witnesses to come forward with useful information that could aid the ongoing investigation, assuring that all information would be handled with strict confidentiality and professionalism.
Human rights advocate and president of LightRay! Media, Lady Ejiro Umukoro, called for immediate and decisive action on the matter.
"Perpetrators of this heinous act must be prosecuted to the full extent of the law under the VAPP Act, which prescribes life imprisonment for rape, establish safe houses and crisis centers to provide medical care, psychological support, and shelter for victims of GBV.
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"Traditional rulers, community leaders, and civil society organisations must work together to abolish harmful cultural practices that enable violence against women, state governments in the Niger Delta must adopt and enforce the VAPP Act to provide localised protection and justice for women and girls," she stated.
The Delta State chapter of Take-It-Back Movement also condemned the incident, describing it as barbaric, shameful and a complete breakdown of human decency.
The national publicity secretary of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, described the incident as horrifying, saying it was especially disturbing that the abuse happened in a university town where young women should feel safe.
In a statement on X, he said the act was reprehensible and has no place in Nigeria.
He faulted Governor Sheriff Oborevwori for not speaking directly days later, saying reliance on aides is a failure of moral leadership.
"Silence at a time like this is a failure of moral leadership," he said.
The police command yesterday said it had arrested 11 additional suspects over the imcident.
They include; Samson Atukpodo, Steven ovie, Ugbevo Samson, Afoke Akporobaro, Evidence Oguname, and six others.
This brings the number of suspects currently in police custody in connection with the incident to 15.
police spokesman SP Bright Edafe said acting on a directive, operatives of CP-SAT conducted a thorough analysis of available video evidence and intelligence that led to the arrests.
"In line with the directive of the Commissioner of Police, Delta State Command, CP Aina Adesola, the CP Special Assignment Team (CP-SAT) was tasked with conducting a detailed investigation into the incident," he said.
