ActionAid Nigeria Condemns Assault on Women at Ozoro Festival, Demands Arrest of Perpetrators

By: Michael Mike

ActionAid Nigeria has strongly condemned the assault and harassment of women and girls during a cultural festival in Ozoro, Delta State, describing the incident as a serious violation of human dignity and a reflection of deeper systemic issues of gender-based violence in society.

In a statement issued Friday in Abuja, the Country Director of ActionAid Nigeria, Dr. Andrew Mamedu, said the disturbing videos circulating on social media showing women and girls being chased, harassed, and assaulted in public spaces highlight a grave failure to ensure the safety of citizens during community events.

The organisation warned against attempts to trivialise or defend the incidents under the guise of cultural interpretation, stressing that no tradition or festival should be used to justify violence against women and girls.

“Violence against women and girls must never be trivialised, justified, or explained away under any circumstance,” the statement said. “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.”

ActionAid Nigeria noted that the Ozoro incident reflects a broader pattern in which harmful social norms, silence, and weak enforcement mechanisms create an environment where gender-based violence persists and perpetrators often go unpunished.

The organisation insisted that cultural events must not become spaces where abuse is normalised or tolerated, warning that attempts to downplay such acts only reinforce impunity and further endanger women and girls.

ActionAid called on the Governor of Delta State, Sheriff Oborevwori, to demonstrate decisive leadership by ensuring that law enforcement agencies urgently identify, arrest, and prosecute all those involved in the assaults.

It also urged the governor to make public the actions taken by authorities, including arrests and prosecution outcomes, as part of efforts to rebuild public trust and demonstrate zero tolerance for gender-based violence.

The organisation further demanded that security agencies be held accountable for any lapses that allowed the incidents to occur without immediate intervention, emphasising that their responsibility is not only to respond to violence but also to prevent it.

In addition, ActionAid Nigeria called on the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs and the Delta State Ministry of Women Affairs to provide urgent, survivor-centred support to victims, including access to medical care, psychosocial counselling, legal assistance, and safe channels for reporting abuse.

According to the organisation, the incident underscores persistent gaps in protecting women and girls in public and cultural spaces and highlights the urgent need for governments and communities to confront harmful gender norms that enable violence.

ActionAid Nigeria also urged traditional authorities in Ozoro Kingdom to review cultural practices that may expose women and girls to harm, insisting that safeguarding human dignity must remain paramount.

Reaffirming its commitment to gender equality, the organisation said it would continue to advocate for stronger systems that protect the rights, safety, and dignity of women and girls across Nigeria while standing in solidarity with survivors of the Ozoro incident.

ActionAid Nigeria Condemns Assault on Women at Ozoro Festival, Demands Arrest of Perpetrators