Delta Youth Council Clarifies Ozoro Festival Incident, Condemns Misconduct

The National Youth Council of Nigeria, NYCN, Delta State Chapter, has issued an official statement on the incident reported during the Alue-Do festival in Uruamudhu Community in Ozoro, Isoko North Local Government Area, saying the cultural event should not be wrongly portrayed while also condemning any act of harassment or misconduct linked to it.

In a statement signed by the State Chairman of NYCN, Comr. Sagboje Odiri Milton, CLN, the Council said it took note of public reactions and media reports concerning the incident said to have occurred on March 19, 2026, during the Alue-Do ancient festival.

According to the statement, preliminary findings made available by the Chairman of NYCN, Isoko North LGA Chapter, Comr. Johnson Oghenevieyeze, showed that the Alue-Do festival is an age-long tradition in Uruamudhu Community and is regarded as a fertility rite for married women seeking the blessing of childbirth.

The Council explained that the festival is traditionally known as a ceremony rooted in peace, blessing, and communal playfulness among aged women and married women, and not a culture of rape or molestation as alleged in some reports.

It added that the seven-day festival includes practices such as playful dragging and the pouring of sand on some participants, many of whom are said to voluntarily present themselves because of the cultural blessings attached to the rite. It also noted that there are restrictions on the movement of young girls on the evening of the final day because of traditional activities involving aged women and married women.

While giving this cultural clarification, the NYCN Delta State Chapter strongly condemned any harassment, molestation, assault, abuse, or misconduct allegedly committed by persons who may have acted outside the true intent and acceptable boundaries of the festival.

The Council stressed that no tradition or cultural practice should be twisted or misrepresented in a way that violates the dignity, safety, and rights of any person.
It further stated that culture must remain a symbol of identity, peace, moral order, and communal values, warning that any attempt to use a respected tradition as a cover for disorderly conduct or abuse damages both the victims and the image of the community.

NYCN therefore called on security agencies, and relevant authorities to thoroughly investigate the incident, establish the true facts, and ensure that anyone found culpable is held accountable in accordance with the law.

The Council also urged the public and the media to handle sensitive cultural matters with fairness, caution, and responsibility so that genuine traditions are not wrongly misrepresented, while real cases of abuse are not ignored or excused.