Senator Calls for Senate Probe into Death of 13‑Year‑Old Ochanya Ogbanje

Abuja – Senator Natasha Akpoti‑Uduaghan (PDP, Kogi Central) has asked the Senate to open an urgent investigation into the circumstances surrounding the death of 13‑year‑old Ochanya Ogbanje, a student at the Federal Government Girls College in Gboko, Benue State.

In a petition presented on Wednesday during a plenary session on behalf of the Inibehe Effiong Chambers, the senator alleged that attempts have been made to shield those responsible for the girl’s death from accountability. Ochanya died on 17 October 2018 after suffering complications linked to prolonged sexual abuse.

According to the petition, Ochanya had lived with the Ogbuja family from the age of five. She was allegedly subjected to repeated sexual abuse by both Victor Ogbuja and his father, Andrew Ogbuja. The abuse reportedly caused severe health problems, including a vesicovaginal fistula (VVF) and fecal‑urinary incontinence, which contributed to her death.

Senator Akpoti‑Uduaghan said the petition seeks the arrest and prosecution of Victor Ogbuja and a challenge to the acquittal of his father, Andrew Ogbuja. “She suffered severe violations for years, yet justice continues to be delayed and denied. This case represents a failure of the system to protect a child,” she told the Senate.

The senator also highlighted alleged interference in the case, intimidation of witnesses and attempts to downplay the crime. She called for a comprehensive review of how children’s rights cases are handled in Nigeria and urged the Senate to ensure justice for Ochanya’s family.

Senate President Godswill Akpabio, noting that no legal proceedings were currently underway, referred the petition to the Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions, chaired by Senator Neda Imasuen (APC, Edo South). The committee has been tasked with investigating the abuse, the death, and the apparent failures of the justice system, and may compel the Benue State government to file the long‑pending appeal.

The case has drawn renewed attention to the need for robust safeguards for vulnerable children and for swift, impartial justice in cases of sexual violence. The Senate’s review will be closely watched as a test of Nigeria’s commitment to upholding children’s rights.