On The Criminal Violation And Sexual Violence Against Girls And Women In Ozoro, Delta State

By Obiageli “Oby” Ezekwesili

Ozoro in Delta State revealed once again the failure of Governance and preventive policing in our country.

The scale and coordination of the sexual attacks of girls and women in repulsive videos and images suggest that these criminal violations of women were not at all spontaneous.

It therefore raises urgent questions about intelligence, community policing, and the visible presence or absence of law enforcement.

The failure of governance is evident in the deeply disgusting, disgraceful, and completely unacceptable acts that depraved men audaciously perpetrated in that community.

There is no culture, no tradition, and no circumstance that justifies the assault of women.

What occurred in that Ozoro community was not cultural expression- it was criminal violation and violence against women.

It was organized, brazen, and dangerous criminal behavior by criminals who believe that as usual, there will be no consequences for their acts of depravity.

When a society begins to warn women to stay indoors to avoid being attacked, instead of restraining and punishing those who commit such acts, that society is signaling a total collapse of law, order, and moral leadership.

The Delta Government and the Nigeria Police led by the IG of Police, Tunji Disu must move beyond the statements made.

Every individual involved must be identified, arrested, and prosecuted without delay. Justice must be visible, swift, and decisive.

But beyond enforcement, this is a moment of reflection for all of us as Nigerians- Political and Traditional Leaders, Citizens, Communities, and Organizations.

We must collectively act firmly or risk enabling a dangerous precedent, as we have on other matters where Nigeria has normalized impunity.

This moment therefore demands more than reactive arrests. It requires:

1. Immediate prosecution of all identified perpetrators by the Nigeria Police
2. A public accountability process led by the Delta State Government
3. Clear deterrence signals through swift judicial action
4. Nationwide reinforcement of zero tolerance for gender-based violence
5. Strengthening of community-level intelligence and policing systems

Ozoro is a core test of state capacity and legitimacy which is clearly now too eroded for comfort.

Above all, the key question in all of these is “How deeply do we as Nigerians want our country to sink?”

The answer is in our hands.

–Obiageli “Oby” Ezekwesili is the founder of SPPG – School of Politics, Policy and Governance.