I went to bed last night with a disturbing video I cannot shake off.

A young woman, visibly shaken, holding on to her torn clothes after being reportedly assaulted at the Ozoro Festival in Delta State, Nigeria, was seen begging to be let go.

That moment should never have happened. No woman should have to experience that level of fear, humiliation, and violence in a public space.

Watching that video brought back painful memories of the 2011 ABSU rape incident, where a young woman was brutally assaulted by a group of men.

That case sparked national outrage, protests, and widespread advocacy. I remember that period vividly. I was heavily pregnant at the time, yet I joined others to speak out because it mattered.

Over the years, I have been actively involved in advocacy against sexual and gender-based violence in Nigeria.

Through the Walk Against Rape Campaign, we mobilized women, allies, and communities to demand accountability, raise awareness, and push for safer spaces for women and girls.

We marched, we spoke, we engaged institutions, and we insisted that these issues could not be ignored.

It is deeply disheartening that more than a decade later, we are still confronted with incidents that reflect the same patterns of violence, silence, and attempted justification.

It raises difficult but necessary questions about accountability, enforcement, and the true value placed on the safety and dignity of women.

We must not allow that cycle of violence, silence, and inaction to repeat itself.

What reportedly happened at the Ozoro Festival in Delta State is not something to explain away or minimize. It is a grave violation. It is violence. And it demands urgent and decisive action.

I call on the Delta State Government to immediately launch a thorough investigation into this incident and provide clear, public assurance that justice will be served.

The safety of women in public spaces cannot be negotiable, and silence or delay only deepens harm.

The victims must be able to come forward without fear, knowing they will be protected, heard, and supported, not silenced or blamed.

I urge His Excellency, Sheriff Oborevwori, Governor of Delta State, to ensure that those responsible are identified and held fully accountable under the law, and that appropriate measures are taken to prevent such incidents from recurring.

Equally concerning are attempts by some individuals to justify or downplay this act of violence. Such narratives are dangerous and must not be tolerated. No woman should be blamed for being present at a public event.

This is not a moment for silence. It is a test of leadership, accountability, and the value placed on the lives and dignity of women.

We cannot normalize this. We cannot look away.

Justice must not only be done, it must be seen to be done, clearly and without compromise.

My heart is with every woman and girl in Ozoro.

They deserve justice.
They deserve dignity.
And they deserve to be heard.

Not again.

We want justice.

Esther Ijewere is a Media Advocate | Women’s Rights Activist
Convener, Walk Against Rape Campaign (Nigeria)
Based in Canada