RismadarVoice Reporters
March 21, 2026
The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has strongly condemned reported incidents of sexual assault and abuse of women during a recent festival in Ozoro, Delta State, describing the acts as a “national disgrace” and a grave violation of human rights.
In a statement jointly signed by the NBA President, Mazi Afam Osigwe, SAN, and Chairperson of the NBA Women’s Forum, Huwaila Muhammad, the Association expressed outrage over reports that women were harassed, stripped, and assaulted in public during the event.
The NBA said the alleged actions, carried out under the guise of celebration, represent a breakdown of societal values and a serious affront to human dignity.
“A society reveals its true character in how it treats its women. What occurred in Ozoro is not culture but barbarity and a collapse of conscience,” the statement read.
According to the Association, the incidents constitute violations of fundamental rights as enshrined in the 1999 Constitution (as amended), including the rights to dignity, personal liberty, and security. It added that such acts also amount to criminal offences under Nigerian law, including assault and sexual violence.
The NBA rejected any attempt to justify the actions on cultural grounds, insisting that no tradition or custom can legitimize the abuse or degradation of women.
“No practice that permits such cruelty can be described as culture. It is criminality,” the statement added.
The Association called on the Delta State Government and relevant law enforcement agencies to immediately investigate the incidents and bring perpetrators to justice.
It further urged authorities to ensure that those who aided, enabled, or failed to intervene are also held accountable.
“Justice must be swift and non-selective. Silence or indifference in the face of such brutality only emboldens further abuse,” the NBA warned.
The NBA also tasked community leaders, traditional institutions, and festival organizers with the responsibility of ensuring that cultural events are conducted in an orderly and safe manner.
It stressed that festivals should reflect dignity and respect for human life, rather than serve as platforms for violence and abuse.
Reiterating the need for collective responsibility, the association maintained that the protection of women is both a legal and moral obligation.
“The protection of women is not optional. It is a test of who we are as a people. This must never happen again,” the statement concluded.
