No report that any woman was raped during Ozoro festival, police say

The Delta State Police Command has said that none of the women allegedly harassed by men during the observation of what was widely believed to be a “rape festival” last Thursday in the Ozoro community of the Isoko North Local Government Area was raped.

Speaking on Channels Television’s Morning Brief on Monday, the state police public relations officer, Bright Edafe, described the incident as “very unfortunate.”

“Among the four girls interviewed yesterday, not one of them said they were raped. Up to this very moment, we’ve not had any official reports that anybody was raped,” said Mr Edafe.

The police spokesperson clarified that the event was not a “rape festival” but a gathering organised by the community’s chief priest to pray for women seeking the fruit of the womb.

“It was not a rape festival; it was a festival that was done by the chief priest to pray for barren women for them to have fruit of the womb. That was the intention,” he said.

He added that the traditional ruler and the student union were not around during the festival.

Mr Edafe, however, blamed the chief priest’s “negligence” for the incident, saying it led to embarrassment for the community.

“However, for reasons best known to them, the traditional ruler of Ozoro kingdom was not informed; the student union was not even informed because they know it’s a student community.

“They were supposed to inform the school management; they did not do that, and they did not inform the police,” Mr Edafe said.

He said the chief priest of the community was among the first four people arrested, with an additional 11 suspects apprehended after reviewing trending footage, bringing the total number in custody to 16.

Mr Edafe added that all suspects have been transferred to the state command headquarters, where the deputy commissioner in charge of the State Criminal Investigation Department is handling the matter.

According to him, the state commissioner of police, alongside senior officers, visited Ozoro on Sunday, including the palace of the traditional ruler and the Uramudo community, where four victims were met and interviewed.

Mr Edafe said the Delta State government has assured the victims that their medical needs will be addressed and that a psychologist has also been contacted to support them.

He also mentioned that compensation will be provided for stolen items, including phones and money.

“The state government assured them that their health and damages of their phone and money taken away from them will be paid back,” he said.

He called on the traditional authorities to address the issue to prevent further incidents and urged citizens to inform the police immediately when such cases are observed.

Viral videos showed different scenes of ladies being chased, dragged, and molested by scores of men on the streets of Ozoro during the gathering.