Nigeria: NBA condemns Ozoro sexual assaults, demands justice

By Zuleihat Owuiye, Mamos Nigeria

The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has strongly condemned the alleged sexual assaults on women during a festival in Ozoro, Delta State, describing the incident as a national disgrace and a violation of fundamental human rights.

In a statement signed by NBA President, Mazi Afam Osigwe, and Chairperson of the NBA Women Forum, Huwaila Muhammad, the association called the acts “horrifying” and “barbaric”. The NBA emphasized that such actions, carried out under the guise of cultural celebration, amount to criminal offenses, including assault, sexual violence, and public indecency.

The association urged the Delta State Government and law enforcement agencies to swiftly identify, arrest, and prosecute the perpetrators, and hold accountable those who aided or failed to intervene. The NBA also warned community leaders and festival organizers to ensure cultural events reflect dignity and respect for human life.

“The protection of women is not optional. It is a legal duty. It is a moral obligation. It is a test of who we are as a people. 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,” the NBA concluded.