The Delta State Police Command has rejected claims that the controversial Alue-Do festival in Ozoro was a ‘rape festival,’ stating that no victim has formally reported any case of rape related to the event.
According to the command, its officers visited Uzoro and the Oramudu community to assess the situation and met with the four women.
It emphasized that no formal complaint of rape has been received to date, with investigations focusing on the recorded incidents of molestation and harassment shown in the footage, while urging any victims with credible evidence to come forward officially.
This clarification was provided by the command’s spokesperson, Bright Edafe, on Monday during an interview , primarily to address public misconceptions, restore factual accuracy amid national outrage, and ensure the ongoing probe remains evidence-based rather than driven by unverified online narratives.
“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.”
Edafe reiterated that while the police continue to treat the viral footage seriously as evidence of potential criminal acts, including indecent assault and public molestation, no victim has so far reported penetration or rape in statements given to investigators.
He emphasized that the investigations are strictly based on evidence and witness statements, noting that the festival, as a traditional rite, was never intended to encourage or condone sexual violence.
“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.
“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,” Edafe said.
The Police Public Relations Officer (PRO) also revealed that a total of 16 suspects have been arrested so far in connection with the festival, following a careful review of the video footage and ongoing investigations into incidents of harassment and indecent conduct
“Having done the initial arrest, the chief priest, who happens to be the head of the community, was initially arrested alongside four others. Then, having gone through video analysis, that is, the training footage, some additional individuals were identified and arrested, making it 11 more.
“This brings the total number of suspects currently in custody to 16, and they have been transferred to the State Command Headquarters to be duly investigated by the DC State CID,” Edafe said.
Police appealed to the public to avoid spreading unconfirmed information that could prejudice the investigation, while assuring that justice will be pursued based strictly on verifiable evidence and formal victim statements.
