ActionAid Nigeria (AAN) has condemned the assault of women and girls at Ozoro festival in Delta State, demanding immediate arrest of perpetrators.

The Country Director of the organisation, Dr Andrew Mamedu, made the call in a statement on Friday in Abuja, warning against cultural justifications for gender-based violence.

Mr Mamedu said the organisation remained committed to advancing the rights, safety and dignity of women and girls, and stood in solidarity with affected victims.

“AAN strongly condemns the disturbing incidents of violence against women and girls reported during a recent cultural festival in Ozoro, Delta State.

“The widespread circulation of video evidence across social media, showing women and girls being openly harassed, chased, and assaulted in public, reflects a grave failure to guarantee safety and dignity in a communal space,” Mr Mamedu said.

He said violence against women must never be trivialised or justified, noting attempts to downplay the incidents or misrepresent them as cultural practices.

Mr Mamedu urged the Delta State Governor, Sheriff Oborevwori, to ensure the swift arrest and prosecution of the perpetrators through decisive action by law enforcement agencies.

He called for public disclosure of actions taken, including arrests and prosecution outcomes, to demonstrate zero tolerance for gender-based violence.

He said security agencies must be held accountable for lapses that allowed the incidents to occur without timely intervention.

He stressed that security agencies must adopt proactive measures to prevent harm, rather than responding after incidents occur.

“Regardless of how such actions are described, the reality remains that women and girls were subjected to abuse in full public view and this demands accountability.

“This incident is not isolated. It points to deeper, systemic issues of gender-based violence, where harmful norms, silence and weak enforcement create conditions that allow such violations to occur.

“When acts of harassment and assault are normalised or downplayed, it reinforces a culture of impunity and further endangers women and girls.

“ActionAid Nigeria unequivocally states that no cultural festival or traditional belief can be used to excuse or conceal violence,” he said.

Mr Mamedu said no cultural festival or belief should excuse violence, calling for transparent processes to identify and prosecute offenders.

He urged the federal and Delta State  ministries of women affairs to provide coordinated, survivor-centred support to affected women and girls.

“Affected women and girls should be provided access to medical care, psychosocial services, legal assistance, and safe reporting mechanisms.

“Survivors must be protected from stigma and supported to seek justice without fear.

“Beyond immediate response, this incident highlights persistent gaps in safeguarding women and girls in public and cultural spaces.

” It also highlights the urgent need to confront harmful gender norms that enable violence by all tiers of government,” he added.

Mr Mamedu stressed that addressing gender-based violence required deliberate, sustained action across institutions, communities, and leadership structures.

He, however, noted that Ozoro kingdom needed to do better and review the cultural practices that harm women and girls.

(NAN)