Delta: Outrage, condemnation trail alleged rape, molestation of girls during festival

Delta map

Outrage has trailed the reported rape and assault of young women during a festival in Oruamudhu community in Ozoro, Isoko north LGA of Delta state.

Multiple videos showing men ripping apart the clothes of young women, while groping them in an animalistic and despicable manner, suffused social media on Thursday.

In one of the clips, a young lady could be seen crying and clutching her torn clothing as some young men violently groped her.

Another footage showed some men attacking and fondling a young lady who was on a motorcycle.

Some social media users said the festival prohibits women from venturing outdoors from 12pm to the next day.

They claim that the name of the festival is Uruamudhu Aluejo. TheCable is yet to independently verify this.

Some social media users also claimed that it was the youths in the community who turned the festival into a “rape event” because women were prohibited from participating in the festival.

TheCable sighted screenshots of messages posted to the WhatsApp community of students from Southern Delta University, Ozoro, warning female students not to step outside the community from 12pm on Thursday.

Some reports also claimed that young men were moving from one apartment to another to defile women.

Videos of the incident have sparked outrage on social media, with many Nigerians calling on security agencies to arrest the perpetrators and protect the women.

Rape and sexual assault are criminal offences in Delta state.

Reacting to one of the videos via X, Bright Edafe, Delta police spokesperson, described the incident as “alarming, disgusting, and embarrassing”.