Fresh Outcry: Family of Late Ochanya Ogbanje Demands Justice, Appeals to First Lady Tinubu

A massive public campaign has erupted, demanding justice seven years after the tragic death of 13-year-old Elizabeth Ochanya Ogbanje, who died in 2018 from complications linked to prolonged sexual abuse.

The deceased's family has issued a poignant appeal to the nation’s highest offices, specifically calling on First Lady Oluremi Tinubu and the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, to ensure the arrest of the primary suspect who remains at large.

The case involves Ochanya’s alleged sexual assault by her uncle, Andrew Ogbuja, and his son, Victor Ogbuja, while she lived with them in Benue State. While Andrew Ogbuja was acquitted by the Benue State High Court in 2022, his wife, Felicia Ochiga-Ogbuja, was convicted for negligence, and Victor Ogbuja remains a fugitive.

Ochanya's brother, John Ameh, expressed the family's ongoing distress. "It's quite traumatising; we've been re-traumatised by the renewed call for justice in Ochanya's case," he said, according to a recent report by Premium Times. He added that the family has faced continuous threats and harassment since the case regained prominence.

The renewed drive for justice has seen massive traction on social media under the #JusticeForOchanya hashtag, with prominent voices joining the demand for accountability.

Activist and co-founder of the #BringBackOurGirls movement, Aisha Yesufu, has urged continuous public pressure. She called on Nigerians to "sustain the advocacy" because "Nothing beats a united voice speaking at the same time!"

Nollywood actress Ini Edo also voiced her distress, stating that the thought of the culprit being "alive and walking free is sickening."

Adding a legislative voice to the outcry, Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan (PDP, Kogi Central) has joined the campaign. The Senator expressed shock that the alleged perpetrators were "discharged and acquitted," promising to raise the matter with her colleagues in the Senate, provided the family submits a formal petition to her office.

The public and the family remain resolute that the case must be reopened to ensure that Victor Ogbuja, who was declared wanted by the police in 2018, is finally brought to trial. 

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