Disclaimer: Trigger Warning
A fertility festival in Nigeria has sparked widespread outrage after reports emerged that women were chased through the streets and allegedly sexually assaulted by groups of men. Some have described it as a “rape festival”.
The incident reportedly took place in March in Nigeria’s Delta State during the Alue-Do festival, associated with fertility, celebrated by the Oramudu community.
The celebrations took a disturbing turn when women were being chased by men in public spaces, with some alleging that their clothes were torn and forcibly removed before they were sexually assaulted in public, according to France24.
Reports also suggest that there were bystanders during the incident, with some allegedly shouting without stopping the violence. The incident involved a large group of men and, in some cases, even young boys.
Many of the victims are believed to be female students from a nearby university, and some have reportedly been taken to a hospital for treatment.
One of the victims, a student, shared a detailed account of what she experienced during the incident. She said the attack happened shortly after she reached the area on a motorcycle.
According to her, people in the crowd suddenly noticed her and began shouting, “Hold her, hold her, that’s a woman”. “They swooped on me like bees. A large crowd started pulling my clothes until they stripped me naked. They were pulling my breasts and touching my whole body … I was shouting for help,” she told the NY Post.
Rosemary added that she was eventually rescued by a passerby who intervened and helped her get away from the crowd. During the incident, her phone was also taken. She said she is still suffering from physical pain and emotional trauma.
Delta State police have confirmed that several suspects have been arrested, including a local community leader and four young men.
“When people can do this in the open, and others treat it like spectacle, it goes beyond individual actions. It tells you something about what is being normalised in a given society,” said Rita Aiki, a gender rights advocate with the Women’s Rights Advancement and Protection Alternative.
According to Delta State Police spokesperson Bright Edafe, strict action is being taken against those accused. He said that all individuals involved will be charged and prosecuted.
Delta State Police Commissioner Aina Adesola has ordered the immediate transfer of the arrested suspects to the State Criminal Investigation Department (CID).
“The Commissioner of Police has instructed that the suspects be transferred to the State CID without delay. The Commissioner is committed to ensuring that anyone involved will be arrested and brought to justice,” Edafe said.