By Our Reporter
Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), the apex socio-political body of the people of Niger Delta, has called on the Nigeria Police to act without delay to investigate the alleged female harassment and assault at Ozoro festival, Delta State.
PANDEF made the demand in signed statement by its spokesman, Chief Dr. Obiuwevbi Ominimini, copy of which was made available to newsmen on Monday, saying that on no account should any traditional practice jeopardise the constitutional rights of citizens in any society, kingdom, or community.
The socio-political body, while making the demand, noted that Ozoro had been a peaceful community hosting a large number of non-indigenes for years, saying that It is a local government headquarters of Isoko North LGA and also a host to a major academic institution of learning, the Delta State University of science and technology with so many young adults of males and females as students.
Besides, PANDEF also noted that whatever traditional practice, be it a festival or not that occurs in any given community, the rights of others, mostly the non-indigenes, who have their full right to their own religion and other freedoms as enshrined in the Nigeria constitution which is the grundnorm of all laws in Nigeria must be considered.
"The apex social political body of the people of Niger Delta, PANDEL, calls on the Nigeria police to act without delay to investigate the alleged female harassment and assault at Ozoro festival, Delta state. On no account should any traditional practice jeopardise the constitutional rights of citizens in any society, kingdom, or community.
"Ozoro has been a peaceful community hosting a large number of non-indigenes for years. It is a local government headquarters of Isoko North LGA and it is also a host to a major academic institution of learning, the Delta state University of science and technology with so many young adults of males and females as students. Whatever traditional practice be it a festival or not that occurs in any given community, it must must consider the rights of others, mostly the non-indigenes who have their full right to their own religion and other freedoms as enshrined in the Nigeria constitution which is the grundnorm of all laws in Nigeria," the group stated.
The socio-political body, however, commended the swift actions of the Monarch of the Kingdom and the President General, HRM Anthony Uvietobore Ogbogbo, who came out boldly to condemn such barbaric action in this 21st century.
PANDEF, while insisting that those involved in this dastardly act must be brought to book without delay, said that doing so "shall serve as a deterrent to others.
According to it, the world has moved past such barbaric traditional practices, pointing out that all traditional practices within a given community must subject herself to the laws of the state.
This was just as PANDEF further noted that Ozoro is a community of elites with a sophisticatedly educated leadership headed by a first class traditional ruler, urging that the leadership of the Kingdom must, therefore, put measures in place to avoid such occurrences in the future.
"We, however, comnend the swift actions of the Monarch of the Kingdom and the President General who came out boldly to condemn such barbaric action in this 21st century. Those involved in this dastardly act must be brought to book delay. This shall serve as a deterent to others. The world has moved past such barbaric traditional practices. All traditional practices within a given community must subject herself to the laws of the state.
"Ozoro is a community of elites with a sophisticatedly educated leadership headed by a first class traditional ruler. The leadership of the Kingdom must, therefore, put measures in place to avoid such occurrences in the future," the socio-political group said.
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