By Eniola Daniel
Sir: We all know that Zombies are often more active at night to heighten fear, as darkness limits human vision, while acting as a dramatic, atmospheric setting, but in Ozoro, Isoko North Local Council, Delta State, Nigeria, male Zombies came out to sexually assault women in broad daylight.
They committed this sacrilege without fear as if we are in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iran, Iraq, countries, where rapists hardly get punished or in countries where such culture exists.
Ozoro Fertility Festival is not ungodly but on Thursday, March 19, 2026, young men decided to defile it. Sadly, they did this because the system has, for a very long time, failed to punish or dole out harsher punishment for perpetrators when necessary.
Also, parents are failing to tame their monstrous children, children who have grown wild and become trouble in number rather than solution providers.
It should be established that violence against anyone, let alone the most fragile people in the world (women), is unacceptable.
No cultural or traditional practice can justify or excuse sexual violence in any form. The Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act (VAPP Act) provide clear protections: Section 1 of the law prohibits all forms of violence, Section 14 criminalises harmful traditional practices, and Section 15 prohibits cruel, inhuman, and degrading treatment.
Also, there is no such thing as a “Rape Festival” in Ozoro but a cultural event that was mismanaged and hijacked by criminal elements.
Sexual assault is a serious criminal offence, and all allegations must be thoroughly investigated, with perpetrators held fully accountable under the law.
This matter underscores, once again, the urgency of strengthening collective action against gender-based violence.
We must continue to prioritise the safety, dignity, and protection of women and girls, ensuring that no victim is silenced, ignored, or denied justice.
• Eniola Daniel wrote from Lagos
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