The Delta State Police Command has arrested five suspects, including a community head and a chief organiser of a local festival, over the alleged sexual assault of women in Ozoro, Delta State.
The Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Bright Edafe, disclosed this in a post on X on Friday, identifying one of the suspects as Chief Omorede Sunday.
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“The community head and chief organiser of the event, one Chief Omorede Sunday and four other suspects from Oramudu quarters in Ozoro have been arrested,” Mr Edafe posted.
“The CP has ordered that they should be transferred to State CID with immediate effect. The CP vows that anyone involved will be arrested and brought to justice.”
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Backstory
The arrests followed the circulation of disturbing videos on social media showing a group of young men attacking a woman during a local festival in Ozoro.
In the footage, the victim is seen being assaulted in public by a crowd, sparking widespread outrage online.
Reports indicate that several women who were outdoors during the event, reportedly held on Thursday, were targeted for harassment. There are also unverified claims that some victims may have been raped.
Reacting earlier to the viral videos, Mr Edafe described the incident as “alarming, disgusting and embarrassing,” stressing that the police had launched an investigation.
“The command condemns this in totality; no custom or tradition is superior to the rights of citizens,” he said.
He also noted that the Commissioner of Police, Aina Adesola, had directed a full-scale probe into the incident.
Nigerians react
Following the circulation of the disturbing videos, many Nigerians shared their disgust over the incident on social media.
Rinu Oduala, an activist, criticised the police spokesperson’s initial post, pointing out that the police’s actions were merely reactive.
“You are still waiting to be assured instead of already arresting people. If it’s to do a video warning against the protest now, we will see you fast! Bright wey no bright,” she wrote.
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Another X user, @skood009, wrote that the entire Delta State police force was noticeably absent from the crowded festival, but if the location were associated with “yahoo boys” (internet fraudsters), they would have been deployed.
@ojembaenweilo knocked the law enforcement command for depending on social media for intelligence gathering.
He questioned their competence, asking, “How can you tell me that something as big as this happened, and the police never got the intelligence? Where are your undercover field officers?”
However, @onyia_ImageLB commended the police for launching an investigation into the incident.
He urged the police to call the Divisional Police Office in the area for questioning.
“They can’t claim they didn’t hear or get any report,” he said. They should be disciplined for inactivity.”
He also asked that the officers be deployed to interstate motor parks to cross-examine any youth who is travelling.
“Most times, when a problem happens in towns that involve youths, they start travelling to evade arrest,” he wrote. “Start with their WhatsApp & Messenger, using the festival’s name and keywords. Everyone involved in that act should be arrested.”
@Only1Etuobo noted that perpetrators should be processed through the judicial system and handed a minimum of life imprisonment.
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