FAMILY OF LATE OCHANYA OGBANJE SEEKS FIRST LADY’S INTERVENTION, DEMANDS JUSTICE SEVEN YEARS AFTER DEATH
Read Time:2 Minute, 29 Second
By Aishat Momoh. O.
The family of Ochanya Ogbanje, the 13-year-old girl who died in 2018 after allegedly enduring years of sexual abuse, has appealed to First Lady Oluremi Tinubu and the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, to ensure justice is finally served in the long-running case.
Speaking on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief on Friday, John Ameh, the late Ochanya’s brother, expressed frustration that the family’s quest for justice had dragged on for seven years without meaningful progress. He called for the immediate arrest of Victor Ogbuja, the son of one of the suspects, who remains at large.
“It’s been a traumatising experience. We’ve been re-traumatised by the renewed call for justice in Ochanya’s case,” Ameh said. “If she were the daughter of a prominent person, would this be happening? Certainly not. We are calling on the First Lady and the IGP to find these people and bring them to justice, no matter how long it takes.”
Ameh, a journalist, alleged that his family had been intimidated and threatened for pursuing justice. He recounted multiple incidents of harassment and physical threats from associates of the accused, including an assault during a 2018 court hearing in Makurdi.
“Since the renewed advocacy, I no longer stay at home. My life is in danger,” he said. “We’ve written to the Commissioner of Police in Benue and even to the IGP asking for protection, but nothing has been done.”
He described the continued failure to arrest the key suspect as “shocking,” accusing authorities of negligence.
“It’s been seven years, and the police have refused to arrest the principal perpetrator of this despicable crime. It shows how the system fails victims of sexual abuse in this country,” Ameh lamented.
Ochanya was allegedly sexually assaulted by Andrew Ogbuja, a lecturer at the Benue State Polytechnic, Ugbokolo, and his son Victor, while living with the family. She reportedly died on October 17, 2018, at the Federal Medical Centre, Makurdi, from complications arising from vesicovaginal fistula (VVF), a condition linked to prolonged sexual assault.
While the Benue State High Court acquitted Andrew Ogbuja in April 2022 for lack of evidence, Felicia Ochiga-Ogbuja, Ochanya’s aunt, was convicted by the Federal High Court, Makurdi, and sentenced to five months in prison for negligence.
Victor Ogbuja, who was also charged, has remained on the run since the case began.
The case has sparked renewed outrage nationwide, with several Nigerians, including Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, joining the #JusticeForOchanya campaign on social media.
“Seven years ago, the heart-wrenching story of little Ochanya devastated me. I thought the perpetrators were in jail — alas, they were discharged and acquitted,” Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan wrote on Facebook. “For our children, I stand for Justice for Ochanya.”
The family’s appeal to the First Lady comes amid growing public pressure on authorities to reopen investigations and ensure those responsible are held accountable for the teenager’s death.
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