"Not a Rape Festival": Delta Police Clarify Ozoro Ritual Status; 16 in Custody

No Official Rape Reports

The Delta State Police Command has moved to de-escalate the public outrage surrounding the controversial Alue-Do festival in Ozoro, stating that despite viral videos and widespread social media reports, no official complaints of rape have been filed.

Appearing on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief on Monday, March 23, 2026, the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Bright Edafe, clarified that while four victims were interviewed by investigators in the Ozoro and Oramudu communities, none corroborated the "rape festival" narrative currently trending online.

16 Suspects Transferred to State CID

While the police have disputed the specific label of "rape," they have confirmed that the event involved significant criminal misconduct and harassment.

Current Status of the Investigation:

  • Total Arrests: 16 suspects are currently in custody. This includes the Chief Priest (the primary organizer) and 15 others identified through viral video footage.

  • Jurisdiction: The case has been moved from the local division to the State Criminal Investigation Department (State CID) in Asaba for specialized handling.

  • Victim Support: The state government has pledged medical care, psychological counseling, and compensation for property lost during the chaotic gathering.

A "Fertility Rite" Gone Wrong

According to the police, the Alue-Do festival was intended as a traditional fertility rite organized by a local priest to pray for women seeking to conceive. However, the event was marred by a total breakdown of order, which the police attribute to the organizers' failure to follow protocol.

Lapses in Due Process:

  • Lack of Notification: The traditional ruler of Ozoro, the police, the local students' union, and school authorities were not informed or consulted prior to the event.

  • Negligence: The organizers failed to provide security, allowing the ritual to devolve into the intimidation and harassment of women seen in the viral clips.

  • Official Ban: The Delta State Government has officially banned the Alue-Do festival, asserting that no cultural practice can justify the criminal infringement of human rights.

Analysis: Ritual vs. Reality

The Ozoro incident highlights the dangerous intersection of undocumented "traditional" rites and modern human rights. While the Palace of the Ozoro Kingdom has distanced itself from the violence—claiming such acts were never sanctioned by tradition—the fact that a Chief Priest could organize such a large, volatile gathering without official oversight points to a massive gap in local intelligence. By focusing on "sexual assault" rather than "rape" due to the lack of witness statements, the police are following a strict evidentiary path, but the public's "court of opinion" has already rendered a much harsher verdict. The 16 arrests serve as a warning that "tradition" is no longer a shield for public disorder.

“The law does not work on emotions; the law works on available evidence... Up till this very moment, we have not had any official reports that anybody was raped.” — SP Bright Edafe, Delta PPRO