Police in Nigeria's southern Delta state have arrested 15 people following allegations of sexual assault during the Alue-Do fertility festival in the city of Ozoro. Videos circulated online showing groups of young men chasing, stripping, grabbing, and assaulting women in public spaces, sometimes while being filmed. The clips sparked widespread anger, leading to the hashtag #StopRapingWomen to trend on social media and renewed calls for accountability over gender-based violence.
Delta state police have rejected claims circulating online that the festival was a "rape festival." Local spokesperson Bright Edafe told Channels TV on Monday that no formal report of rape had been made in connection with the event. He described the scenes as "alarming, disgusting, and embarrassing" and said several suspects identified from the videos had been arrested and transferred to the state Criminal Investigation Department (CID). Among those detained is a community leader widely named as the event's organizer.
Some witnesses, activists, and residents say women were warned not to go out during parts of the festival, and those seen outside were deliberately targeted. This has raised concerns that sexual violence may have been organized or tolerated under the cover of tradition. Rights groups argue that even if it is unclear whether anyone was raped, the documented acts—including forced stripping, grabbing, and public humiliation—constitute serious gender-based violence under Nigerian law.
The King of Ozoro has rejected suggestions that the Alue-Do festival condones sexual assault, describing it as a fertility rite that was "misinterpreted and abused by some youths." Traditional leaders also state that no rape occurred, admitting that two women were harassed but stressing such acts are criminal, not cultural. The Delta state government has backed this view, adding that no recognized festival in the state permits sexual assault and any violence should be treated strictly as a crime.
Nigeria's First Lady Oluremi Tinubu, who has roots in Delta state, condemned the alleged assaults and urged security agencies to prosecute all offenders. In a signed statement, she said no culture justifies violating women and girls, praised police for recent arrests, and encouraged victims to seek medical and psychological support.
Source: www.bbc.com