The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has strongly condemned the sexual assault and public humiliation of women during a recent festival in Ozoro, Delta State, describing the acts as a “national disgrace,” a “collapse of conscience” and a renewed form of gender-based violence that has no place in modern Nigeria.
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In a joint statement issued on Saturday, March 21, 2026, and signed by NBA President Mazi Afam Osigwe (SAN) and Chairperson of the NBA Women’s Forum Huwaila Muhammad, the association expressed outrage over viral videos circulating on social media showing women being chased, forcibly stripped, groped, sexually violated, and publicly humiliated by groups of young men in broad daylight while others watched, recorded, and in some cases cheered.
“This was not a festival. This was lawlessness. This was gender-based violence in its most primitive and shameful form,” the NBA declared. The statement emphasised that no woman should ever endure such terror, exposure, or violation of dignity, stressing that the incidents constitute grave breaches of fundamental rights to dignity of the human person, personal liberty, and security as guaranteed under Sections 34, 35, and 36 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended), as well as various international human rights instruments to which Nigeria is a signatory.
NBA’s Demands The association made the following urgent calls: The Delta State Government and all relevant law enforcement agencies must act swiftly and decisively to identify, arrest, and prosecute the perpetrators. Accountability must extend to those who aided, enabled, or failed to intervene. Community leaders, traditional institutions, and festival organisers must take immediate responsibility by reviewing security arrangements and cultural practices during festivals, ensuring celebrations reflect dignity, order, and respect for human life rather than becoming theatres of violence. The protection of women is not optional it is a legal duty, a moral obligation, and a test of national character.
The NBA warned: “Justice must not be delayed, and it must not be selective. Silence, indifference, or excuses in the face of such brutality only embolden further abuse. Nigeria must not become a place where women live in fear of being stripped of both their clothing and their dignity in public spaces. This must never happen again.”
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The viral videos have triggered widespread condemnation across Nigeria, with civil society organisations, women’s rights groups, and social media users demanding swift justice and systemic reforms to protect women during public events. Many have called for the immediate arrest of identifiable perpetrators and a full investigation into why security forces failed to intervene despite the assaults occurring in broad daylight.
This incident has reignited national conversations on gender-based violence, festival safety, youth indiscipline, and the urgent need for stronger enforcement of laws protecting women’s rights and dignity.
DDNewsOnline – Lagos
By Ogungbayi Adeyemi S. (Beedee)
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