OUTRAGE AS WOMEN ARE HARASSED AT OZORO CULTURAL FESTIVAL, SUSPECTS IN CUSTODY

 At least 15 people are currently in police custody following the harassment and sexual assault of women during a cultural festival in Ozoro, Isoko North Local Government Area of Delta State, an incident that has ignited nationwide outrage and reignited conversations around gender-based violence in Nigeria.

The incident occurred on Thursday, March 19, 2026, during the Alue-Do festival - a traditional ceremony observed in the Oramudu Quarters of Ozoro. Preliminary findings by the Delta State Police Command indicated that the alleged harassment and molestation of women were carried out by suspected criminal elements who took advantage of the festivity to perpetrate their actions.

Disturbing video footage capturing men tearing at women's clothing and subjecting them to public assault spread rapidly across social media, prompting immediate public backlash. The viral footage triggered widespread anger, with many Nigerians questioning how such actions could be linked to culture or tradition. 

Community leaders and residents have since moved to distance the violence from the festival's original purpose. A community indigene, Comrade Lucky Agelive, described the Aluedor festival as a sacred fertility rite observed intermittently - sometimes once in 10 to 15 years ,primarily within the Oramudhu quarter, where women who have not given birth perform symbolic acts and pray for children. The King of Ozoro Kingdom also rejected claims that sexual harassment was part of any tradition, stating that he had never witnessed such behaviour in over 20 years on the throne. 

Law enforcement responded swiftly. The Delta State Commissioner of Police, Aina Adesola, led a fact-finding and confidence-building visit to the community, paying a courtesy call on the traditional ruler of Ozoro Kingdom, HRM Barr. Anthony Uvietobore Ogbogbo, and briefing the monarch on the progress of investigations. The Inspector-General of Police, Tunji Disu, described the incident as an embarrassment to the state and the country.

The Federal Government also weighed in. The Federal Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development condemned the acts as "deeply troubling, unacceptable, and a serious violation of human dignity," stressing that no cultural or traditional practice can justify sexual violence under existing laws, including the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act. 

Civil society organisations and public figures have added their voices to the conversation. ActionAid Nigeria called on Delta State Governor Sheriff Oborevwori to take immediate and visible leadership in ensuring the prosecution of all perpetrators and to demonstrate zero tolerance for gender-based violence in both policy and practice. Reality TV star Tacha also publicly condemned the assault, revealing she had reached out to fellow public figures including Kate Henshaw and Iyabo Ojo to organise a protest demanding justice. 

As investigations continue, observers have pointed to deeper structural issues, including weak community governance, poor festival regulation, and a justice system that victims often do not trust, warning that without systemic change, incidents like this risk becoming a pattern rather than an exception. 

The Delta State Police Command has assured the public that all suspects will be prosecuted and that measures are being put in place to prevent a recurrence.