KEY POINTS

• Ozoro community leaders denied rape allegations at the Alue-Do festival, saying only harassment of two women occurred.
• They blamed some youths for misusing cultural practices tied to fertility rites, leading to misconduct.
• Authorities have made arrests, while the community and government condemned the incident and promised accountability.

Leaders of the Ozoro community in Delta State have denied widespread allegations of rape during the recent Alue-Do festival, insisting that the incident involved harassment by a few youths rather than organised sexual violence.

The controversy erupted after disturbing videos surfaced online showing young women being stripped and assaulted by groups of men during the cultural celebration. The clips sparked outrage across social media, with many condemning the acts as inhumane and criminal.

In response, the Delta State Government described the incidents as “barbaric, heinous, and unacceptable,” stressing that cultural events must not be used as a cover for criminal behaviour.

Law enforcement authorities subsequently arrested a community leader, Omorede Sunday, along with four others in connection with the incident.

Festival Tradition Under Scrutiny

Reacting to the backlash, Ozoro community leaders, in a statement signed by Berkley Asiafa (President-General) and Obaro Egware (Secretary-General), explained that the Alue-Do festival is an age-old cultural event rooted in fertility rites.

According to them, the festival traditionally includes symbolic acts such as playfully dragging and pouring sand on married individuals who are yet to have children, believed to invoke fertility blessings.

However, the leaders acknowledged that some youths distorted these cultural practices, leading to misconduct and the harassment of female participants.

The leadership firmly rejected claims circulating online that rape occurred during the festival, describing such reports as false and misleading.

They clarified that while two young women were harassed, no cases of rape were recorded. The community also stated that security agencies were promptly contacted to restore order and have since begun investigations into the incident.