Police arrest community head, five others over sexual assault of young women during Ozoro festival

The Delta State Police Command has arrested a community head and five other individuals in connection with the alleged sexual assault and molestation of young women during a local event in Ozoro, Isoko North Local Government Area.

Pandemonium broke out on Thursday in the Ozoro community during a traditional festival, with some residents claiming it was taboo to see women on the roads during the event.

However, a student at a tertiary institution in Ozoro alleged that any woman seen on the streets was raped in turns, adding that some female students were also victims of the sexual harassment.

State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Bright Edafe, said: “We received with grave concern, disturbing videos that emanated from Oramudu Quarters, Ozoro, which captured sexual assault and molestation of young women in Ozoro during a purported local event.

“The command unequivocally condemns such acts in their entirety. Acts of sexual violence are criminal, inhumane, and constitute a grave violation of the fundamental rights and dignity of victims. The Commissioner of Police upon receipt of the disturbing videos ordered an immediate investigation into the incident. The Chief organiser, Omorede Sunday, a chief and four other suspects have been arrested.”

He added that the Commissioner of Police, Aina Adesola, had ordered the case transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) for further investigation.

“Tactical and investigative assets have been duly deployed with a clear mandate to identify, apprehend, and ensure the prosecution of all individuals found culpable,” Edafe stated.

He urged members of the public, particularly victims and witnesses, to come forward with any information that would aid the ongoing investigations, assuring that all information provided would be treated with strict confidentiality and the highest level of professionalism.

About The Author

Dele Fashomi

Dele Fashomi, seasoned journalist and communication teacher, is a holder of Master of Arts degree in Communication and Language Arts from the University of Ibadan in 1992/93.

Earlier, he had bagged a Bachelor degree from the same university in 1984, after which he proceeded to the Nigerian Institute of Journalism, Lagos, in 1990, for a postgraduate diploma in Journalism.

He had done many courses in communication, including the EU-BBC Editing Course in 2002.

Mr. Fashomi combines effectively the practice, research and teaching of communication. And to date, he has published two academic works in communication: Issues in Communication Technology and Policy (2010) and Economic and Social Issues in Advertising and PR (2013).

He had his first break in the Nigerian media in Concord Newspapers in 1990 and today, he has over two and half decades experience earned in several newspapers.

He has been part of many start-ups, such as The Republic (1987), The Comet (1999), The Anchor 2001 – 2002; Sun Newspapers (2003); Westerner newsmagazine (2005 – 2010) as Editor; National Life (2011) as Sunday Editor, and Newswatch Newspapers (2012- 2016) as Daily Editor.

Dele Fashomi is now the Publisher/Editor-in-Chief of Newstide247.com newspaper online, which he started in July 2015. He is also into biography writing, with many books in his trail, some of which he wrote alone and one he co- authored with his mentor, Mr Dare Babarinsa, entitled:  Olabiyi Durojaiye – DARE TO BE DiFFERENT. He also guided and collaborated with Pa Olatunji Odusanya in writing his autobiography – AGAINST ALL ODDS. There are many other books in the works under his pen.

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