Alue-Do Festival Marred by Controversy: Community Leaders Deny Widespread Rape Claims Amidst Arrests
The recent Alue-Do Festival in Uruamudhu quarters of Ozoro Kingdom, Isoko North Local Government Area, Delta State, has become the subject of intense controversy, with widespread accusations of sexual assault leading to the event being dubbed the “Ozoro rape festival.” While social media buzzed with disturbing videos and allegations, community leaders and law enforcement are working to clarify the events and address the ensuing public outcry.
A Festival of Fertility Under Scrutiny
Community leaders and residents have vehemently defended the Alue-Do Festival, asserting its deep roots as an ancient fertility ritual spanning over a century. According to native residents, the festival traditionally serves as a crucial period for childless couples to seek blessings from the deity for offspring. It is also a time for the community to express gratitude for prosperity and protection.
“It is a fertility festival,” stated Miss Asore, a native of Isoko. “It marks the beginning of a new dawn in the community when we offer prayers and gratitude to our deity.”
A customary practice during the festival, as explained by some community members, involves women remaining indoors within a designated timeframe on a specific day. This is reportedly part of a traditional purification ritual. To ensure compliance, youths are known to playfully throw sand or mud at women seen outside. One netizen explained this practice, noting, “Announcements are made within the community during the festival that women should be indoors at a time. To make it more effective, that is why they use the word rape to scare the women from moving at that particular time of the festival. Any woman or girl who is a victim may have her own explanation as to why she is on the street at that hour of the night.”
Another resident corroborated this, stating, “There is nothing like a raping festival in Ozoro kingdom, it’s an ancient festival of fertility where women are not supposed to be seen outside during the celebration. When seen outside they are chased inside by pouring sand on their body but people who do not understand the culture this time took advantage of it to harass women. Those guys involved should be arrested to face the law.”
The leadership of Ozoro Kingdom, in a press statement signed by Chief Berkley Asiafa, President General, and Secretary Prince Obaro Egware, echoed these sentiments. They addressed the “wrong impression circulating on social media regarding events that occurred on Thursday, 19th March 2026.”
Their statement clarified: “Ozoro Kingdom is made up of five traditional communities, each with its distinct customs, traditions, and festivals. On the said date, Uruamudhu Community celebrated one of its ancient festivals known as the Alue-Do Festival. The Alue-Do Festival is traditionally regarded as a festival of fertility. It is widely believed to be a cultural practice that brings blessings of children to individuals or couples experiencing difficulty in childbirth. As part of this long-standing tradition, certain symbolic practices are observed, including the act of playfully dragging and pouring sand on married individuals who are yet to have children, as a cultural expression believed to invoke fertility.”
The Shift from Tradition and Allegations of Misconduct
Despite the historical context, questions have arisen regarding a departure from the traditional observance of the festival. Disturbing videos that circulated on social media depicted alleged instances of sexual harassment and molestation of young women, purportedly under the guise of the celebration. One video purportedly showed a group of young men attempting to accost a woman, with some voices in the background urging them to desist.
A young woman, identified as Oreva (pseudonym), recounted her experience, describing the youths as “riotous and acted as though they were intoxicated.” She expressed her belief that some women were indeed sexually assaulted during the festival. “It all depends on the video you saw. The boys went on with their evil activities at night,” she alleged. She further stated that the alleged victims were students, some of whom were non-natives.
While some residents pointed fingers at the women for allegedly disregarding the directive to stay indoors, others defended them, suggesting they might not have been aware of the warnings, especially if announcements were made solely in the Isoko language.
The Ozoro Kingdom leadership, while acknowledging the harassment of two young women by individuals who “misunderstood and misapplied this cultural practice in a negative and unacceptable manner,” firmly denied any incidents of rape. They stated, “We wish to clearly state that reports circulating on social media alleging that rape and widespread atrocities occurred during the festival are false and misleading. No incidents of rape were recorded.”
They further elaborated that the situation involved the “harassment of two young women by individuals who took advantage of the occasion to act irresponsibly.” The leadership confirmed they had contacted security agencies, who brought the situation under control and commenced investigations. They strongly condemned any form of harassment or misconduct, emphasizing that such behavior is not part of their culture and that appropriate steps are being taken to address the actions of those involved.
The presence of the state-owned Southern Delta University, with students from across the nation, has also been cited as a factor that could complicate the enforcement of traditional restrictions.
Police Intervention and Arrests
Preliminary investigations by the Delta State Police Command, as announced by its spokesperson, SP Bright Edafe, indicate that criminal elements allegedly “hijacked the festival.” These individuals are believed to be responsible for the harassment and molestation of women during the event.
As of the report, a total of 15 individuals have been arrested in connection with the incident. The statement from the police command detailed: “Further to the earlier disturbing reports on the alleged incidents of sexual assaults in Oramudu Quarters in Ozoro, the command wishes to update the public based on recent developments in the ongoing investigation. In line with the directive of the Commissioner of Police, Delta State Command, CP Aina Adesola, the CP Special Assignment Team (CP-SAT) was tasked with conducting a detailed investigation into the incident. Acting on this directive, operatives of CP-SAT conducted a thorough analysis of available video evidence and intelligence, leading to the arrest of eleven additional suspects. The latest arrests bring the total number of suspects currently in police custody in connection with the incident to fifteen (15).”
The Command reiterated that these acts were perpetrated by criminal elements and are not representative of any legitimate cultural practice. Commissioner of Police, CP Aina Adesola, condemned the acts and assured the public of the Command’s resolve to identify, arrest, and prosecute all involved individuals. The public, especially victims and witnesses, are encouraged to come forward with credible information, with assurances of strict confidentiality.
Widespread Condemnations and Calls for Support
The incident has drawn widespread condemnation from various government bodies. The Chairman of Isoko North Local Government, Prince Godwin Ogorugba, the Delta State Government, and the Federal Government have all issued statements denouncing the actions of the youths.
Prince Ogorugba stated, “We are a peaceful and accommodating people, but we will not allow a few individuals to tarnish the image of our land. This unfortunate incident must serve as a lesson, and such behaviour will not be condoned under any circumstances.”
Charles Aniagwu, Commissioner for Works (Rural Roads) and Public Information, stated, “The Delta State Government strongly condemns the harassment of ladies and the reported cases of rape during the Ozoro Festival. Such barbaric acts are totally unacceptable and have no place in our society.”
The Federal Government, through the Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Hajiya Imaan Suleiman-Ibrahim, expressed deep concern. She described the reports as “disturbing, unacceptable, and contrary to all norms of human dignity, public safety, and the rule of law.” She emphasized that no cultural or traditional practice can justify sexual violence, referencing constitutional protections against violence and harmful traditional practices.
In light of the viral video, there have also been calls for urgent post-trauma counseling sessions for the young woman featured, amid concerns that the circulation of the footage may exacerbate her distress.
