Police in Nigeria have arrested 15 individuals in connection with allegations of sexual assault that surfaced during a community festival in the Delta state. Viral videos displayed young men openly attacking women, igniting widespread outrage and prompting the hashtag #StopRapingWomen to trend on social media. Delta state police officials have dismissed rumors that the Alue-Do festival was a 'rape festival,' arguing no formal reports of rape were made during the event. Local spokesperson Bright Edafe mentioned that while several suspects were identified from the videos and detained, all four interviewed women stated they were not raped.
Videos from the festival depicted groups of young men pursuing and assaulting women in public spaces, causing significant alarm within the community. Protest and activism surrounding the issue reflect ongoing concerns about gender-based violence in Nigeria, raising questions about whether such acts may have been tolerated under traditional norms.
Despite police assurances that no formal complaints of rape have been registered, human rights groups emphasize that the acts captured constitute severe gender-based violence under Nigerian law, even if not classified as rape. The King of Ozoro has spoken out against the interpretation of the festival, clarifying it as a fertility rite misused by some attendees, while traditional leaders also confirm that, although harassment occurred, it should be viewed as a crime rather than a cultural practice.
Notably, Nigeria's First Lady, Oluremi Tinubu, condemned the alleged allegations and called for judicial actions against the perpetrators, insisting that no cultural justification exists for violence against women and girls.
Videos from the festival depicted groups of young men pursuing and assaulting women in public spaces, causing significant alarm within the community. Protest and activism surrounding the issue reflect ongoing concerns about gender-based violence in Nigeria, raising questions about whether such acts may have been tolerated under traditional norms.
Despite police assurances that no formal complaints of rape have been registered, human rights groups emphasize that the acts captured constitute severe gender-based violence under Nigerian law, even if not classified as rape. The King of Ozoro has spoken out against the interpretation of the festival, clarifying it as a fertility rite misused by some attendees, while traditional leaders also confirm that, although harassment occurred, it should be viewed as a crime rather than a cultural practice.
Notably, Nigeria's First Lady, Oluremi Tinubu, condemned the alleged allegations and called for judicial actions against the perpetrators, insisting that no cultural justification exists for violence against women and girls.
