The Senate has been urged to reopen investigations into the death of 13-year-old Ochanya Ogbanje, following a petition submitted on Wednesday by Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, PDP, Kogi Central.
The petition, filed on behalf of Inibehe Effiong Chambers, calls for an urgent probe into the alleged prolonged sexual abuse suffered by Ochanya, a student of the Federal Government Girls College, Gboko, who died on October 17, 2018, from complications reportedly linked to years of assault.
It accuses certain individuals of attempting to shield the suspects from prosecution and urges the arrest and prosecution of the prime suspect, Victor Ogbuja. It also calls on the Benue State Government to appeal the acquittal of Victor’s father, Andrew Ogbuja.
Ochanya, who lived with the Ogbuja family from the age of five, was allegedly subjected to repeated sexual abuse by both father and son from the age of six until her death. The petition criticises the Nigeria Police Force for failing to rearrest Victor after he reportedly absconded, and condemns the state government’s decision not to challenge the court ruling that freed Andrew.
Presenting the petition, Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan described the case as a “deep failure of the system to protect a child,” noting that Ochanya developed severe medical complications, including VVF, a medical term for vesicovaginal fistula, and fecal incontinence, as a result of the repeated abuse.
“She suffered severe violations for years, yet justice continues to be delayed and denied,” the senator said, adding that the matter had lingered due to “alleged interference, intimidation of witnesses, and efforts to downplay the crime.”
She urged the Senate to ensure justice for the family and called for a wider review of how cases involving children’s rights are handled in the country, saying, “This Senate must send a strong message that the lives of Nigerian children matter and that justice cannot be negotiated.”
Senate President Godswill Akpabio, noting the absence of ongoing legal action, referred the petition to the Senator Neda Imasuen-led Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Public Petitions. The committee is expected to investigate the circumstances surrounding Ochanya’s abuse, death, and the alleged miscarriage of justice, and may recommend compelling the state government to file the long-awaited appeal.
