Delta State police have arrested 16 suspects in connection with the sexual assault and molestation of women during a festival in Ozoro, Isoko North Local Government Area, as the state government, federal authorities, and civil society organisations unite in condemnation of the attacks that sparked a national outcry after disturbing videos went viral on social media.
The Delta State Government announced that 11 additional suspects have been arrested in connection with the sexual assault of women during the recently held Ozoro festival, bringing the total number of arrests to 16. Acting on the directive of the Commissioner of Police, CP Aina Adesola, the CP Special Assignment Team carried out a detailed investigation, analysing video evidence and intelligence, leading to the arrest of suspects including Samson Atukpodo, Steven Ovie, Ugbevo Samson, Afoke Akporobaro, Evidence Oguname, and six others.
The first five arrests were announced on Friday, including the community head and chief organiser of the event, Chief Omorede Sunday, and four other suspects from Oramudu quarters in Ozoro. The Commissioner of Police ordered their immediate transfer to the State Criminal Investigation Department.
The incidents occurred on March 19, 2026, during the Aluedho Festival, a fertility festival held in Ozoro Kingdom every three years, traditionally intended for married couples seeking children to visit the goddess’s temple to seek blessings. However, the events captured in the viral videos bore no resemblance to any known cultural practice. Multiple clips showed groups of young men forcefully tearing the clothing of women, groping them, and subjecting them to violent harassment. In one widely shared video, a young woman was seen crying and clutching her torn clothing as men violently assaulted her.
The Delta State Government made clear that the attacks were criminal in nature, stating that the acts were carried out by criminal elements who exploited the situation to perpetrate sexual violence and do not reflect any legitimate cultural practice. State government spokesperson Charles Aniagwu added: “Such barbaric acts are totally unacceptable and have no place in our society.”
Commissioner of Police Aina Adesola condemned the assaults in unequivocal terms, warning that acts of sexual violence are criminal, inhumane, and constitute a grave violation of the fundamental rights and dignity of victims. The police spokesperson, Bright Edafe, echoed that position: “No custom or tradition is superior to the rights of citizens,” he said, urging witnesses and victims to come forward with information to support ongoing investigations.
Condemnation from Abuja was swift. Minister of Women Affairs Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim directed that all suspects be arrested and called for a transparent, thorough, and accelerated investigation. “No cultural or traditional practice can justify or excuse sexual violence in any form. Sexual assault is a serious criminal offence, and all allegations must be thoroughly investigated,” she said.
The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons also commended the Delta police for their swift response and promised to support all actions aimed at ensuring justice for victims and preventing recurrence.
A coalition of over 500 women’s rights organisations under the banner of Womanifesto described the incident as “organised and institutionalised abuse,” citing Nigeria’s Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act and calling for the immediate prosecution of all those found culpable. “This is not our culture. This is organised and institutionalised abuse, and it must be treated as a crime,” said co-convener Abiola Akiyode-Afolabi.
The National Association of Nigerian Students, Zone B, also raised alarm, noting that Ozoro is home to Southern Delta University, making the safety of female students a particularly acute concern. Its Zonal Coordinator, Victor Anthony, said leadership alongside the institution’s Students’ Union President had visited some of the affected victims receiving treatment.
The Ozoro Kingdom leadership, in a statement co-signed by President-General Berkley Asiafa and Secretary-General Obaro Egware, said the viral videos portrayed the festival in a bad light, insisting that the Aluedho Festival does not sanction or support sexual assault and that criminal elements had hijacked the event to commit acts that were entirely their own.
All 16 suspects remain in custody as investigations continue at the State Criminal Investigation Department. The police vowed that all individuals found culpable would face full prosecution under the law.
