Abuja, Mar 05: A bizarre fertility festival in Nigeria has now caused global outrage, earning it the nickname “rape festival” locally.
Reports of mass sexual assaults on women during the Alue-Do festival in Ozoro town, Delta state, Nigeria, in late March 2026, have caused global outrage.
This traditional festival, where childless married women pray for fertility, is held every year in late March. Here, childless married women run among groups of young men. As the women run, they are chased by local youths. In the process, women are stripped, stripped and attacked.
There have also been many instances of rape during this event. The incident has sparked widespread outrage after reports emerged that women were being chased through the streets and sexually assaulted by groups of men. Some have described it as a “rape festival”.
The incident reportedly took place in March during the fertility festival of the Oramudu community in Delta State, Nigeria. According to a France24 report, the women were allegedly forced to strip by tearing their clothes before being sexually assaulted in public.
There were onlookers at the time of the incident, some of whom were allegedly shouting at the violence. The report said that a large group of men and, in some cases, even young boys were involved in the incident.
Nigeria’s ‘Rape Festival’
The rapes took place in broad daylight on March 19, 2026, in Ozoro, Isoko North region of Nigeria. In videos circulating on social media, groups of men were seen dragging women off their motorbikes, tearing their clothes and behaving indecently.
Many were filming the incident on their phones instead of stopping it. At least six female students from a nearby university were identified as victims of the attack.
Lawsuit and response
The Delta State Police have arrested at least 18 people in connection with the incident, including the community leader and the chief priest who organised the festival. Although the public has dubbed it a “rape festival”, the police are investigating it under charges of sexual harassment and indecent assault.
Festival banned
The Monarch of Ozoro has banned the Alu-Do festival indefinitely following the incident. Delta State Governor Sheriff Oborewori has also strongly condemned the act.
Several international organizations, including the United Nations Women (UN Women) and the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), have condemned the incident. Many human rights activists have expressed outrage, saying that the violation of women’s dignity in the name of tradition cannot be tolerated.