NBA and Delta State Government Condemn ‘Barbaric’ Sexual Assaults During Ozoro Alue-Do Festival

The NBA and Delta State Government condemn the "barbaric" stripping and harassment of women at the Ozoro Festival, demanding immediate arrests and prosecution.

By: AXL Media

Published: Mar 21, 2026, 6:41 AM EDT

Source: The information in this article was sourced from Channels Television

Outrage Over Systematic Gender-Based Violence in Ozoro

A series of disturbing videos circulating on social media has ignited a national outcry regarding the safety of women during local cultural events in Delta State. The footage, linked to the Alue-Do Festival in the Uruamudhu community of the Ozoro Kingdom, shows groups of young men accosting, stripping, and sexually assaulting female residents and visitors in broad daylight. The incident has drawn particular concern due to the proximity of Delta State University (DELSU) in Ozoro, with observers warning that female students and foreigners unaware of local "customs" are at high risk of falling victim to such mob actions.

Legal Indictment: Culture vs. Criminality

The Nigerian Bar Association has officially labeled the events a "national disgrace" and a "stain on shared humanity." In a joint statement, NBA President Mazi Afam Osigwe (SAN) and NBA Women Forum Chairperson Huwaila Muhammad argued that the acts represent lawlessness rather than tradition. The NBA emphasized that the Nigerian Constitution and international human rights instruments guarantee the right to dignity and personal liberty—rights that were flagrantly violated as mobs recorded and cheered the assaults. The association’s stance is clear: no custom can legitimize the degradation of human beings.

Government Demand for Law Enforcement Action

The Delta State Government has mirrored the NBA's sentiments, with Commissioner for Public Information Charles Aniagwu describing the reports of rape and harassment as "totally unacceptable." The state executive has issued a direct mandate to the Nigeria Police Force and other security agencies to "fish out" the perpetrators. By publicly disavowing the festival’s darker elements, the government is attempting to dismantle the legal "grey area" that often protects participants in traditional mob violence, asserting that cultural cover does not grant immunity for criminal behavior.