Women from the Egbema Ozubulu community in Anambra State have banished an elderly man accused of allegedly raping a married woman, enforcing what they described as a traditional form of communal justice.
The incident occurred in the Uruezi Egbema area of Ozubulu, located in the Ekwusigo Local Government Area, and came to public attention after videos of the act circulated widely on social media early this month.
In the footage, seen by SaharaReporters on Thursday, a group of women could be seen escorting the elderly man to the outskirts of the community while chanting “onye ohi otu,” an Igbo phrase which translates to “private parts thief.”
The women reportedly declared him unfit to remain in the community following the allegation.
An eyewitness, who spoke to SaharaReporters on condition of anonymity, said the women acted collectively after the alleged victim reported the incident to community members.
“The women said they could not tolerate such an abomination in the land. They believed sending him away was necessary to cleanse the community,” the source said.
Another community member explained that the action was rooted in long-standing customs.
“In this place, when such serious allegations come up, especially involving a married woman, the women take charge. This is not the first time traditional sanctions have been used,” the resident stated.
As of the time of filing this report, efforts to speak with the Anambra State Police Command on whether the case had been formally reported or if an investigation had commenced were unsuccessful as the Command’s spokesperson Tochukwu Ikenga did not take his calls.
Meanwhile, a police source, who declined to be named because he was not authorised to speak publicly, said the command was yet to receive a detailed briefing on the matter.
“We have seen the videos making the rounds, but as of now, there is no official complaint on our desk. We encourage members of the public to report criminal matters to the police for proper investigation,” the source said.
The development has sparked mixed reactions online, with some social media users praising the women for taking a stand against sexual violence, while others raised concerns about due process and the absence of formal legal proceedings.
Authorities have not indicated whether they will intervene or review the community’s actions as discussions continue around the balance between traditional justice systems and the formal legal process.
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