A women’s advocacy group, the Nigeria Federation of Business and Professional Women (BPW), has condemned the assault of women during a recent festival in Delta State, describing the incident as a gross violation of human rights and an act of criminality disguised as culture.

In a statement, the group decried reports that women were forcefully assaulted, stripped, and violated in broad daylight during the event, noting that such acts could not be justified under any cultural or traditional practice.

While acknowledging the swift intervention of the Delta State Police Command in arresting the alleged organiser and other suspects, BPW Nigeria insisted that arrests alone were insufficient. It called for a thorough investigation and transparent prosecution to ensure justice is served.

Also, the Acting Executive Director of the Women Advocates Research and Documentation Centre (WARDC), Dr Princess Olufemi-Kayode, yesterday, said that while law enforcement authorities responded quickly to the recent assault incident in Ozoro, the overall response remains insufficient without thorough prosecution and systemic reforms.

Speaking to newsmen on the development, Olufemi-Kayode acknowledged that the Delta State Police Command acted promptly by arresting key suspects, including the alleged chief organiser and a community leader, noting that the use of video evidence and intelligence gathering had led to the arrest of about 16 individuals so far.

She, however, stressed that arrests alone do not amount to justice. “The police response has been swift but incomplete. The real test lies in whether the suspects will be properly investigated, charged under the full weight of the law, and successfully prosecuted, rather than the case fading away after public outrage subsides,” she said.