Assaults on Women at Delta Festival National Disgrace, Says NBA
The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has condemned the reported sexual assault and public humiliation of women at the Alue-Do festival in Ozoro, Delta State, describing the incident as a “national disgrace” and a “collapse of conscience.”
In a statement on Saturday, NBA President, Afam Osigwe, and Chairperson of the NBA Women’s Forum, Huwaila Muhammad, said, “A society reveals its true character in how it treats its women. Where women are chased, stripped, groped, violated, and publicly humiliated by mobs under the guise of celebration, what is on display is not culture. It is barbarity. It is a collapse of conscience. It is a stain on our shared humanity.”
The association noted that women were reportedly “accosted in broad daylight, forcefully stripped of their clothing, sexually assaulted, and subjected to degrading treatment by groups of young men while others watched, recorded, and, in some instances, cheered.”
The NBA said, “No woman should ever have to endure such terror, such exposure, such violation of her dignity.”
Describing the festival as “lawlessness,” the NBA added that the acts constitute “gender-based violence in its most primitive and shameful form” and violate the fundamental rights to dignity, personal liberty, and security guaranteed under the Nigerian Constitution and international human rights instruments.
The association emphasised that these acts are also criminal offences under Nigerian law, including assault, sexual violence, and public indecency.
“No tradition, no custom, no so-called cultural practice can excuse or legitimise the degradation and violation of women. Any practice that permits such cruelty is not culture. It is criminality,” the NBA said.
The association urged the Delta State Government and law enforcement agencies to act swiftly, insisting that “perpetrators must be identified, arrested, and prosecuted.
Those who aided, enabled, or failed to intervene must also be held accountable. Justice must not be delayed, and it must not be selective.”
The NBA warned that “silence, indifference, or excuses in the face of such brutality only embolden further abuse,” appealing to community leaders, traditional institutions, and festival organisers to ensure that cultural celebrations reflect dignity, order, and respect, not chaos and cruelty.
“The protection of women is not optional. It is a legal duty. It is a moral obligation. It is a test of who we are as a people. Nigeria must not become a place where women live in fear of being stripped of both their clothing and their dignity in public spaces,” the association added.
OSUN DEFENDER reports that victims were attacked during the Alue-Do festival on Thursday, March 19, with videos of the incident sparking nationwide outrage.
The Nigeria Police Force has confirmed the arrest of a community leader and several others, and a full-scale investigation is ongoing.
Titilope Adako is a talented and intrepid journalist, dedicated to shedding light on the untold stories of Osun State and Nigeria. Through incisive reporting, she tackles a broad spectrum of topics, from politics and social justice to culture and entertainment, with a commitment to accuracy, empathy, and inspiring positive change.
