Ochanya - Senator Natasha requests a petition and tries to revive Ochanya Ogbanje's case

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The case of the late Elizabeth Ochanya Ogbanje, who passed away in 2018 after allegedly suffering years of

sexual abuse at the hands of her uncle and cousin, is about to be reopened by Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, who represents Kogi Central.

In a social media post on Thursday, October 30, Akpoti-Uduaghan revealed this and asked the family of the deceased 13-year-old Ochanya to petition her office.

"I was devastated seven years ago by the heartbreaking tale of tiny Ochanya. I assumed the criminals were behind bars. Unfortunately, they were released and found not guilty," she stated.

The senator said that she joined the voices of Nigerians who have denounced the way her case has been handled and that she stood for Ochanya's justice and the safety of children.

The senator encouraged the family of the late Ochanya Ogbanje to send a petition to Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, Office 2:05 Senate Wing, National Assembly Complex, Abuja.
Many Nigerians urged the government to guarantee Ochanya receives justice after her case reappeared on social media last week.

According to the ICIR, Ochanya passed away in October 2018 following years of sexual assault while residing with the Ochiga-Ogbuja family in Ugbokolo, Benue State, in order to receive a better education.

The deceased's maternal relatives, Andrew Ochiga-Ogbuja and his son Victor Ochiga-Ogbuja, were charged with raping her on a regular basis.

Before multiple tests showed that Ochanya had been sexually assaulted through her anus and vagina, she was in diapers for four months. After receiving a Vesico-Vaginal Fistula (VVF) diagnosis, Ochanya spent two months in the Federal Medical Center in Makurdi before passing away on October 17, 2018.

Even though Ochanya's passing caused widespread indignation, the fight for justice proceeded slowly.

While his son, Victor, was free, Ochiga-Ogbuja, a lecturer at the State Polytechnic, was taken into custody and placed under remand.


Since her case was brought before a High Court in Makurdi, the capital of Benue State, it had to contend with a backlog of criminal, civil, and land issues, as well as sporadic hearings and frequent adjournments.

On April 28, 2022, nearly four years later, a state High Court cleared Ochiga-Ogbuja, finding that the prosecution had not met the burden of proof. Meanwhile, in a different Federal High Court, his wife, Felicia Ochiga-Ogbuja, was found guilty of negligence and sentenced to five months in prison without the possibility of a fine.

The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) produced medical records, the victim's video testimony, and eight witnesses—including police, medical professionals, and family members—when Ochiga-Ogbuja and his wife were arraigned in October 2019.

However, the story was tainted by two contradictory autopsies. One from Lagos State implied sexual violence, while another from the area claimed Ochanya's death was due to natural reasons.

Ogbuja was acquitted because the court discovered a flaw in the absence of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) evidence or any other forensic connection.

Experts have argued that the establishment of special courts to deal with sexual offenses will support the effort to combat sexual abuse, according to the ICIR.

In order to engage with survivors, offer support, and guarantee prompt prosecution of the cases, these sexual offense courts will have prosecutors with training and expertise.