Womanifesto, a movement of over 500 women’s rights organisations, has issued a strongly worded condemnation over alleged widespread sexual violence against women in Ozoro, Delta State, under the cover of a so-called traditional festival.
In a statement released on Friday, the group expressed “absolute horror and outrage” at reports circulating on social media showing women being stripped naked and assaulted by groups of men in public spaces, describing the incidents as “organised, institutionalised rape culture” disguised as a traditional festival.
According to the coalition, the violence is reportedly tied to a local festival during which women found outdoors after noon are targeted for harassment and assault, an act the group says effectively turns the event into a coordinated attack on women lasting up to seven days.
“That any community could codify the sexual assault of women into a festival, decreeing that any woman found outside after noon is fair game for molestation and attack is criminal. And the fact that it is scheduled to continue for seven days transforms it from an incident into a pogrom against women,” the statement stressed.
Womanifesto rejected any cultural justification for the acts, stressing that no tradition or community authority has the right to override women’s bodily autonomy. The group cited provisions of the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria and the Violence Against Persons Prohibition Act, noting that both guarantee dignity, freedom of movement, and protection from inhumane treatment.
“These rights do not evaporate at noon,” the statement read, adding that threats of violence are themselves criminal under Nigerian law.
The coalition further condemned not only the perpetrators but also community leaders accused of enabling the violence, as well as bystanders who failed to intervene or instead recorded and shared videos of the assaults online.
Calling for urgent action, Womanifesto demanded that the Delta State Government immediately deploy security forces to halt the attacks and ensure the safety of women and girls. It also urged the Nigeria Police Force, under the Inspector-General of Police and the Delta State Commissioner of Police, to identify and arrest suspects seen in viral footage and prosecute them to the fullest extent of the law.
The group also called on the Federal Government of Nigeria to publicly affirm that no cultural practice supersedes constitutional rights, and urged traditional and religious leaders in Ozoro to clearly denounce the alleged acts. Additionally, it appealed to the state’s health authorities to identify survivors and provide immediate medical care.
Womanifesto extended its call to civil society organizations, the National Human Rights Commission, and international bodies including the United Nations, urging swift intervention. It stressed that the circulating videos constitute evidence of ongoing crimes and should be treated with urgency by relevant authorities.
