Seven years after 13-year-old Ochanya Ogbanje’s death, Nigerians renew calls for justice

Seven years after the death of 13‑year‑old Ochanya Ogbanje who died from sexual abuse complications, Nigerians have renewed calls for justice in her case, particularly demanding the arrest of a key suspect accused of serially raping her.

Victor Ogbuja, the son of a lecturer at the Benue State Polytechnic in Ugbokolo, Andrew Ogbuja, has been wanted since he was declared wanted over the case in 2018.

Fugitive Victor, was accused along with his father, Mr Ogbuja, who are both maternal relations of the deceased, of serially raping her until she fell ill and subsequently died.

But on 22 April 2022, the Benue State High Court in Makurdi, Benue State, acquitted Mr Ogbuja of raping and causing the death of Ochanya.

Yet, on the same day, the Federal High Court also in Makurdi, in a separate case, convicted his wife, Felicia Ochiga-Ogbuja, who was the direct guardian of Ochanya, for negligence exposing the child to rape.

The federal court jailed Ms Ochiga-Ogbuja five months without an option of fine for failing to protect the child from her husband, but the state High Court, about the same time, exonerated the man.

Victor, the couple’s son, has remained at large since he got wind of the plan to arrest him by the police in 2018, and has yet to face trial.

Ochanya, a Junior Secondary School student at the Federal Government Girls College, Gboko in Benue State, died on 17 October 2018, following complications linked to years of alleged sexual abuse by Mr Ogbuja and his son Victor.

Doctors had diagnosed Ochanya with Vesico‑Vaginal Fistula (VVF), a complication attributed to prolonged sexual abuse.

Her death sparked national and international outrage, with protests and advocacy led by child‑ and gender‑rights groups.

Social media outrage surfaces

Seven years after Ochanya’s death, Nigerians on social media have reignited calls for justice.

The renewed outrage comes days after Ochanya’s seventh death anniversary which was held in Abuja.

Social media users across X, Facebook, and TikTok have demanded that authorities reopen the case and apprehend Victor Ogbuja.

The advocacy has also focussed on a young woman identified as Winifred (@Winifunds on X), the daughter of Mr Ogbuja, who PREMIUM TIMES confirmed deactivated her account on Wednesday following intense backlash.

Although Winifred has not been accused of any crime, online users circulated screenshots and photos allegedly showing her and her brother (not Victor).

Some suggested she should be “invited for questioning,” implying—without evidence—that she may have benefited from or shielded the accused.

“Winifred is trending and here is why. Walk with me,” one X user wrote, summarising the case and calling for closer scrutiny of the family.

Nigerian social media personality Tunde Ednut also reacted to the renewed outrage in an Instagram post shared with his 8.7 million followers:

“Every day, we keep hearing sad news here and there. What is going on in Nigeria? A father and son are alleged to have abused a little girl until she died. This is sad and this girl must get justice. Ochanya must get justice.”

Ednut’s post, which had more than 34,000 likes and over 4,000 comments, stressed stronger protection for children in Nigeria:

“God, please get this girl justice. I’m just sad about this news. This is not acceptable. NOTE: This page does not support any form of violence. Stay safe out there and say NO to crime.”

A petition on Change.org titled “Justice for Ochanya” is also gathering signatures, calling for authorities to reopen the case and bring the missing suspects to book.

Child rights activist Betty Abah also lamented the continued absence of Victor Ogbuja and called on authorities—including the Benue State Government, Nigeria Police Force, the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Women Affairs, and the Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Agency—to reopen the case.

“Andrew Ogbuja was acquitted by a Benue State High Court, while Felicia Ogbuja, Ochanya’s aunt and guardian, was sentenced to five months’ imprisonment for negligence. Victor Ogbuja fled and remains at large.

“Reports suggest he is now in Lagos pursuing a music career, despite an arrest warrant. It is time to reopen and pursue this case to ensure that, even in death, Ochanya gets justice,” Ms Abah wrote on her Facebook page.

Ms Abah further urged that the case serve as a rallying point to strengthen child protection and combat sexual abuse across Nigeria.

Legal proceedings

The Court of Appeal in Makurdi has since affirmed Mrs Ochiga-Ogbuja’s conviction, describing her negligent conduct as “heinous” and “devoid of sympathy.

Delivering judgement via Zoom in November 2022, a three‑member panel of judges led by a judge Hassan Muslim, ruled that she “omitted to take action against the sexual exploitation of Ochanya by her husband and her son.”

The Court of Appeal held that such an omission constituted a punishable offence under Section 344 of the Criminal Code Act.

Mr Muslim described the offence as a “crime of omission,” noting that Mrs Ochiga-Ogbuja had a legal duty to protect Ochanya and failed to do so, despite being alerted by her own daughter, Winifred Ogbuja.

He emphasised that the harm Ochanya suffered extended beyond her illness to the abuse itself and that Felicia’s conduct “deserves more time of imprisonment to deter others of like minds.”

The court also commended Ochanya’s caregiver, Enewa Soo, the International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA), and the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) for ensuring the case reached the courts despite attempts by the Ogbuja family to treat it as a “family matter.”

The Benue State High Court had acquitted Mr Ogbuja of rape, while his son Victor remains on the run, but the judgement of the Federal High Court and the Court of Appeal have alluded to their culpability in the rape case, the basis for Mrs Ochiga-Ogbuja’s conviction.

Victor has remained at large since being declared wanted by police in 2018. Reports suggest that he is currently in Lagos, pursuing a music career, although this has not been independently verified.

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Quest for better life went bad

Ochanya left her rural home in Ogene‑Amejo to live with the Ogbujas in Ugbokolo, seeking better educational opportunities.

Over a period of five years, she reportedly suffered repeated sexual abuse by Mr Ogbuja, who was later acquitted by court, and his son Victor.

She was admitted to the Federal Medical Centre, Makurdi for two months before succumbing to complications from VVF and died in October 2018.