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Summary
Ochanya Ogbanje, a 13-year-old junior secondary school student at Federal Government Girls College, Gorboki, Benue State, was raped by her Victor Ogbuja and Andrew Ogbuja for five years. She later died of Vesicovaginal Fistula and other health complications. Nigerian feminists have taken to social media to demand justice for Ochanya, while urging citizens to sign a petition to demand child protection and accountability.
Nigerian feminists have renewed calls for justice for 13-year-old Ochanya Ogbanje, who was raped to death by her uncle and his son. On Oct. 17, 2018, Ochanya died due to complications of Vesicovaginal Fistula (VVF), a health condition that causes the bladder to bypass the urethra into the vagina.
Ochanya was sent to live with her maternal aunt, Ms Felicia Ochiga-Ogbuja, at age five to acquire an education. However, her quest for education turned bitter when 19-year-old Victor Ogbuja started raping her when she turned eight. Although he was caught and reported to their parents by his sister, Winifred, they only scolded him and threatened Ochanya that she would be sent back to the village if she told anyone.
Meanwhile, 51-year-old Andrew Ogbuja continued the molestation and rape of Ochanya until she became sick and was diagnosed with Vesico-vaginal Fistula. She died on Oct 17, 2018, two months after she did an interview to tell the horrid experience.
Despite strong evidence, Andrew Ogbuja was acquitted on the claim of conflicting autopsy reports and insufficient evidence. Victor is now on the run. Ochanya’s case highlights the symbolic injustice and failure of the Nigerian legal system to protect women and girls from abuse.
Nigerian feminists have now taken to social media to demand justice and accountability for Ochanya Ogbanje, calling for the perpetrators of her abuse to be brought to justice and for the case to be reopened.
@_okime wrote on X, “Justice for Ochanya. These men need to be held and severely punished for this absolute horror they committed against that little girl.”
Similarly, @OloriOfOloris added, “There’s absolutely no reason on earth why the perpetrators should still be free. The case must be reopened, and they must be prosecuted! Justice for Ochanya Ogbanje!”
Women’s rights advocates also urged Nigerians to join their voices by signing a petition, demanding that the Nigerian judicial system reopen the case, investigate, and hold the perpetrators accountable for justice. The petition, which already gained over 26,000 signatures, reads in part,
“When a system fails to protect a vulnerable child, it undermines the trust in the fundamental right many hold dear: a safe and protected childhood. Ochanya’s death must not be in vain. We must honour her memory by pursuing justice with renewed vigour—justice for Ochanya, and for every child who faces similar threats.”
