Criminal violation, sexual violence against women in Ozoro, Delta state is another failure of governance, preventive policing in Nigeria, says Ezekwesili

The Founder School of Politics, Policy and Governance, Dr Oby Ezekwesili has pointed out that the scale and coordination of the sexual attacks of girls and women IN Ozoro, Delta State revealed once again the failure of governance and preventive policing in Nigeria.

Penpushing reports that Ezekwesili made this known in a statement while reacting to the barbaric incident perpetrated by some elements under the guise of culture and tradition, stressing that the development raises urgent questions about intelligence, community policing, and the visible presence or absence of law enforcement

‘The scale and coordination of the sexual attacks of girls and women in repulsive videos and images suggest that those criminal violation 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’, she wrote.

‘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’, Ekwesili argued.

Penpushing further reports that she declared that what occurred in Ozoro community was not cultural expression- it was criminal violation and violence against women, and dangerous criminal behaviour.

‘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’.

Penpushing also reports that the former Deputy President of World Bank, African Region called on the Delta State Government and Inspector General of Police to move beyond the statement made

‘The Delta Government and the Nigeria Police led by 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’, she stated.

‘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 like we have on other matters where Nigeria has normalized impunity.

Penpushing reports that she emphasized that this moment therefore demands more than reactive arrests but requires immediate prosecution of all identified perpetrators by the Nigeria Police,  a public accountability process led by the Delta State Government, clear deterrence signals through swift judicial action, nationwide reinforcement of zero tolerance for gender-based violence and strengthening of community-level intelligence and policing systems

The former Minister pointed out that Ozoro is a core test of state capacity and legitimacy which is clearly now too eroded for comfort, stressing that above all, the key question in all of these is how deeper do we as Nigerians want our country to sink, adding that the answer is in the hands of Nigerians

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