The Federal Government has condemned alleged acts of sexual assault reported during a traditional festival in Ozoro, Isoko North Local Government Area of Delta State, directing security agencies to identify, arrest and prosecute all perpetrators.

Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, issued the directive after a disturbing video circulated widely on social media, purportedly showing women being sexually harassed during the Alue-Do Festival, also known locally as the Festival of Fertility, in Ozoro Kingdom.

In a statement signed by the ministry’s Head of Press and Public Relations, Ahmed Danbazau, the minister described the scenes captured in the viral footage as deeply troubling and an affront to human dignity, public safety and the rule of law.

She commended the Delta State Police Command for its initial response but insisted that only a transparent, thorough and speedy investigation would be acceptable. All individuals implicated, she stressed, must be traced and brought before the law without delay.

Sulaiman-Ibrahim underscored that Nigeria’s Constitution and the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act provide clear protections against sexual violence, regardless of cultural or traditional context. No custom, she said, can be invoked to legitimise or excuse acts that violate the bodily integrity and rights of women and girls.

“Sexual assault is a serious criminal offence, and all allegations must be fully investigated, with perpetrators held accountable,” she said, reaffirming the Federal Government’s commitment to prioritising the safety and dignity of women and girls across the country.

The minister announced that her ministry would work closely with the Delta State Ministry of Women Affairs and relevant agencies to ensure that survivors receive immediate and comprehensive support, including psychosocial counselling, medical care and legal assistance.

She also pledged intensified engagement with traditional rulers, community leaders and cultural custodians in Ozoro and beyond, aimed at challenging harmful practices and reshaping norms that enable gender-based violence under the guise of tradition.

The ministry urged residents of Ozoro and the wider public to cooperate with law enforcement by providing credible information that could aid investigations. Such collaboration, it noted, is essential both to securing justice for victims and to preventing similar abuses at future cultural events.