Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan (PDP, Kogi Central) has presented a petition before the Senate, calling for an urgent and thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding the death of 13-year-old Ochanya Ogbanje, who died in 2018 after years of alleged sexual abuse.
Submitting the petition on Wednesday on behalf of Inibehe Effiong Chambers, the senator accused certain individuals of attempting to “shield those responsible from accountability.”
Ochanya, a student of the Federal Government Girls College, Gboko, died on October 17, 2018, from health complications reportedly linked to prolonged sexual assault. She had lived with the Ogbuja family from age five.
The petition demands the immediate arrest and prosecution of the prime suspect, Victor Ogbuja, and urges the Benue State Government to appeal the acquittal of his father, Andrew Ogbuja. Both men were accused of repeatedly sexually abusing Ochanya over several years.
Akpoti-Uduaghan criticised the Nigeria Police Force for failing to rearrest Victor after he absconded and condemned the state government’s refusal to challenge the High Court judgment that freed Andrew.
“This petition is on the refusal to arrest and prosecute Victor and Andrew Ogbuja for the rape to death of 13-year-old Ochanya Ogbanje,” she told lawmakers.
According to her, Ochanya had developed vesicovaginal fistula (VVF) and severe fecal and urinary incontinence due to repeated rape “from her vagina and anus daily,” describing the case as “a failure of the system to protect a child.”
She added that the matter has lingered due to “alleged interference, intimidation of witnesses, and attempts to downplay the crime.”
The senator urged the National Assembly to ensure justice for the victim’s family and to initiate a broader review of how children’s rights violations are handled in Nigeria. “This Senate must send a strong message that the lives of Nigerian children matter and that justice cannot be negotiated,” she said.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio referred the petition to the Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Public Petitions, chaired by Senator Neda Imasuen (APC, Edo South), for further investigation. The committee is expected to examine the circumstances of Ochanya’s abuse and death, as well as the alleged failures in the pursuit of justice, and may compel the Benue State Government to file the long-demanded appeal.
