03.05.2026 03:01
A 'fertility' festival held in Nigeria's Delta state turned into a wave of organized violence and sexual assault against women. Images of women being chased by groups of men in the streets, having their clothes torn, and being sexually assaulted have sparked global outrage.
The annual "Alue-Do" fertility festival held in Ozoro, Delta State, Nigeria, was marred by inhumane scenes this year.
WOMEN CHASED AND SEXUALLY ASSAULTED IN THE STREETS
Videos surfacing online showing women being chased by groups of men, their clothes torn, and being sexually assaulted in broad daylight in the middle of the streets sparked global outrage.
The numerous videos that emerged showed that the attacks were not isolated, but rather turned into a systematic wave of violence. The footage showed women being surrounded by crowds, harassed, while some bystanders clapped and recorded the incidents. It was reported that most of the victims were female students from a nearby university.
"THEY SWARMED OVER ME LIKE BEES"
Ezeugo Ijeoma Rosemary, a university student and one of the victims, described her nightmare in a statement to authorities: "As soon as I came down, they started shouting 'catch her, catch her, she is a woman' and swarmed over me like bees. A large crowd began pulling at my clothes and left me completely naked. They were grabbing my breasts, touching my entire body... I was screaming for help."
The unfortunate young woman stated that although she was rescued by one person, she could not escape the effects of her physical pain and trauma, and has been unable to continue her education since the incident.
POLICE SAY "WE WILL ENSURE JUSTICE", LOCAL COMMUNITY LEADERS CALL IT A "MISUNDERSTANDING"
Following the incidents, the Delta State Police took action, arresting a local community leader and numerous suspects, including 4 children. State police spokesman Bright Edafe expressed their determination regarding the process, saying, "The Commissioner of Police has ordered the suspects to be transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (CID) without delay. The Commissioner is determined to ensure that everyone involved is arrested and brought to justice."
The police stated that no official rape complaint has been filed so far, and called on victims and witnesses to come forward without fear.
However, while the police distinguished the violence from the festival, describing it as "the work of criminal elements", local leaders went further, labeling the rape allegations as a "misunderstanding". The leaders defended the festival as a "traditional" fertility ritual and denied the assault claims.
WOMEN'S RIGHTS ADVOCATES OUTRAGED
Women's rights advocates strongly reacted to the authorities' defense of "tradition". Rita Aiki, spokesperson for the Women's Rights Advancement and Protection Alternative (WRAPA), emphasized that the fact such attacks can occur in broad daylight with no one intervening shows how normalized violence is in society.