Authorities in Nigeria’s Delta State have taken 15 individuals into custody following disturbing scenes of alleged sexual abuse during a community festival that triggered nationwide condemnation.
The controversy erupted after widely shared videos captured groups of young men harassing and assaulting women who appeared to be alone in public spaces. The footage, which circulated rapidly online, provoked public anger and fueled the #StopRapingWomen campaign, reigniting concerns over persistent gender-based violence in the country.
Despite the backlash, the Delta State Police Command has dismissed claims that the Alue-Do festival in Ozoro is inherently linked to rape. Police spokesperson Bright Edafe clarified in a televised interview that, as of now, no official rape complaints have been filed in relation to the incident.
The videos, recorded during the annual Alue-Do fertility celebration, depict chaotic scenes in which women are chased, forcibly undressed, and subjected to unwanted physical contact, often in full view of onlookers recording the acts.
Describing the footage as deeply troubling, Edafe labeled the behavior “alarming, disgusting, and embarrassing.” He confirmed that suspects identified in the clips have been apprehended and transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department for further inquiry.
According to the police, preliminary interactions with four alleged victims did not yield any reports of rape. Nonetheless, investigations remain ongoing.
Among those arrested is a prominent community figure believed to have played a role in organizing the festival.
Eyewitnesses and local activists have raised serious concerns, claiming that women were cautioned to remain indoors during certain festival periods, and that those who ventured out became deliberate targets. These allegations have intensified fears that such acts may have been enabled or overlooked under the guise of cultural practices.
Human rights organizations argue that, regardless of whether rape occurred, the actions captured on video, including public stripping, groping, and humiliation, constitute grave violations under Nigeria’s laws on sexual and gender-based violence.
Traditional authorities in Ozoro have distanced the festival from the allegations, with the town’s monarch insisting that the Alue-Do celebration is a cultural fertility rite that was misused by a group of unruly youths. Community leaders acknowledged incidents of harassment involving two women but stressed that such acts are criminal offenses, not part of the tradition.
The Delta State Government has echoed this stance, emphasizing that no recognized cultural event in the region condones sexual abuse, and affirming that all offenders must be held accountable under the law.
Nigeria’s First Lady, Oluremi Tinubu, who has ancestral ties to Delta State, has also spoken out against the incidents. In a formal statement, she strongly condemned the abuse, stating that no cultural belief can justify violence against women and girls. She commended law enforcement for the arrests made so far and urged victims to seek both medical care and psychological support.
