Controversial Festival: No Official Rape Reports Yet – Police

Nigeria Police Force

The Delta State Police Command has dismissed claims that the controversial Alue-Do festival in Ozoro was a rape festival. The police recently revealed that no victim has officially reported rape in connection with the incident, and Nigerians have been reacting.

According to the Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Bright Edafe, investigations are guided strictly by evidence and witness statements, so nothing can be done if victims don’t step forward.

He added that the festival was not designed to promote sexual violence but was originally a traditional rite organised by a chief priest.

His words, “It is important to state clearly that among the four girls that were interviewed yesterday, no one, not one of them, said they were raped. Up till this very moment, we have not had any official reports that anybody was raped.

The law does not work on emotions; the law works on available evidence and statements of witnesses. For the fact that we have not had a witness who says ‘I was raped’, and the evidence does not show that anybody was raped, sexual assault is what we would be investigating.

It was not a rape festival. It was a festival organised by a chief priest to pray for barren women seeking the fruit of the womb. That was the intention.

For reasons best known to them, the traditional ruler of Ozoro Kingdom was not informed, the students’ union was not informed, and the school management was not informed.

They also did not inform the police. That is why the chief priest is presently in our custody because his negligence has led to this embarrassment and to the sexual assault of these innocent girls.”

WOW.