Abuja: ActionAid Nigeria (AAN) has condemned the assault of women and girls at the Ozoro festival in Delta state, demanding immediate arrest of perpetrators. The Country Director of the organisation, Dr Andrew Mamedu, made the call in a statement, warning against cultural justifications for gender-based violence.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, Mamedu stated that the organisation remains committed to advancing the rights, safety, and dignity of women and girls, standing in solidarity with affected victims. He highlighted the disturbing incidents of violence against women and girls reported during the cultural festival in Ozoro, Delta State. The widespread circulation of video evidence on social media, showing women and girls being harassed, chased, and assaulted in public, reflects a grave failure to guarantee safety and dignity in a communal space.
Mamedu emphasized that violence against women must never be trivialized or justified, noting attempts to downplay the incidents or misrepresent them as cul
tural practices. He urged Governor Sheriff Oborevwori of Delta State to ensure the swift arrest and prosecution of the perpetrators through decisive action by law enforcement agencies.
He called for public disclosure of actions taken, including arrests and prosecution outcomes, to demonstrate zero tolerance for gender-based violence. He stressed that security agencies must be held accountable for lapses that allowed the incidents to occur without timely intervention and must adopt proactive measures to prevent harm.
Mamedu added that regardless of how such actions are described, the reality remains that women and girls were subjected to abuse in full public view, demanding accountability. He pointed out that this incident is not isolated, highlighting deeper systemic issues of gender-based violence, where harmful norms, silence, and weak enforcement create conditions for such violations.
He stated that when acts of harassment and assault are normalized or downplayed, it reinforces a culture of impunity and
further endangers women and girls. ActionAid Nigeria unequivocally asserts that no cultural festival or traditional belief can be used to excuse or conceal violence.
Mamedu called for transparent processes to identify and prosecute offenders and urged the Federal and Delta Ministries of Women Affairs to provide coordinated, survivor-centered support to affected women and girls. He emphasized the need for access to medical care, psychosocial services, legal assistance, and safe reporting mechanisms for survivors.
He stressed that addressing gender-based violence requires deliberate, sustained action across institutions, communities, and leadership structures. He noted that the Ozoro kingdom needs to review cultural practices that harm women and girls.