Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan has expressed her commitment to seeking justice for 13-year-old Ochanya Ogbanje, whose death in 2018 has again sparked public outcry for justice.
In a statement shared on Instagram on Thursday, the Kogi Central senator said she recently learnt that the suspects charged in connection with the case had been discharged and acquitted.
“Seven years ago, the story of little Ochanya devastated me. I thought the perpetrators were in jail. Alas, they were discharged and acquitted,” she wrote.
Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan urged the family of the deceased to submit a petition to her office so that she could take up the matter.
“The family of late Ochanya Ogbanje should write a petition to me. For our children, I stand for justice,” she added.
Ochanya, a student of Federal Government Girls College, Gboko, died on October 17, 2018, from complications of Vesicovaginal Fistula (VVF).
She was allegedly raped for several years by her aunt’s husband, Andrew Ogbuja, a lecturer at Benue State Polytechnic, Ugbokolo and his son, Victor Ogbuja.
The two were accused of molesting her since she was eight years old, acts which reportedly led to her health complications.
She was buried on November 2, 2018, in Ogene-Amejo village, Okpokwu Local Government Area of Benue State.
The case drew widespread attention at the time, leading to public protests and legal proceedings against the accused.
In recent days, Nigerians have again taken to social media to demand justice for Ochanya following reports of the suspects’ acquittal.
