ActionAid Nigeria has said that the alleged “ Ozoro rape festival”, which was seen on social media, was a gross violation of women’s and girls’ human rights, and must be condemned by all well-meaning Nigerians.
The International humanitarian organization said that the viral video, where women and girls were seen being chased and sexually harassed in Ozoro, Delta State, was a gross abuse of fundamental human rights.
Country Director, ActionAid Nigeria, Andrew Memedu, on Friday, through a statement he personally signed, said that those promoting such cultures in Nigeria should not only be condemned, but also brought to book.
Recall that there was a viral video where women and girls were being harassed in Ozoro, Delta State, in the name of “ rape festival”.
He noted that the incident at Ozoro, Delta State, reflects a society where moral depravity and lawlessness still pervade and must not be allowed to be sustained.
According to Mamedu, that incident is a clear picture of violence against women and girls in a democratic dispensation where such acts should be rewarded as despicable.
He also called on the Delta State government and all stakeholders to ensure that those involved in the despicable acts against women and girls were judged according to the dictates of Nigerian laws.
He said, “ ActionAid Nigeria strongly condemns the disturbing incidents of violence against women and girls reported during a recent cultural festival in
Ozoro, Delta State. The widespread circulation of video evidence across social media, showing women and girls being openly harassed, chased, and assaulted in public, reflects a grave failure to guarantee safety and dignity in a communal space.
“ While efforts have been made in some quarters to minimise these events or frame them as a misinterpretation of cultural practices, ActionAid Nigeria stresses that violence against women and girls must never be trivialised, justified, or explained away under any circumstance.
Regardless of how such actions are described, the reality remains that women and girls were subjected to abuse in full public view, and this demands accountability.
“ This incident is not isolated. It points to deeper, systemic issues of gender-based violence, where harmful norms, silence, and weak enforcement create conditions that allow such violations to occur. When acts of harassment and assault are normalised or downplayed, it reinforces a culture of impunity and further endangers women and girls.
“ ActionAid Nigeria unequivocally states that no cultural festival or traditional belief can be used to excuse or conceal violence. All individuals involved in these acts must be urgently identified and brought to book through a transparent and credible process that delivers justice and restores public confidence.
“ We call on the Governor of Delta State, Sheriff Oborevwori, to take immediate and visible leadership in addressing this incident by ensuring that law enforcement agencies act swiftly and decisively in apprehending and prosecuting all perpetrators.
The Governor must also ensure full public disclosure of actions taken, including arrests and prosecution outcomes, and demonstrate zero tolerance for gender-based violence in both policy and practice.
“ Security agencies must be held accountable for any lapses that allowed these incidents to occur and continue without timely intervention. Their mandate to protect citizens must be matched by proactive measures that prevent harm, not merely respond after the fact”.
