The story of Ochanya Elizabeth Ogbanje is one of Nigeria’s most heartbreaking narratives of child sexual abuse and a painful symbol of the judicial system’s failings.
Ochanya was a 13-year-old student from Benue State who was sent to live with her aunt and the aunt’s husband, Dr. Andrew Ogbuja, in Makurdi to receive support for her education.
However, according to reports, she was instead subjected to years of continuous sexual assault by both Dr. Ogbuja and his son, Victor Ogbuja.
This prolonged abuse led to severe medical complications, including the development of Vesicovaginal Fistula (VVF), a devastating injury resulting in constant pain and incontinence. Ochanya ultimately died from the health complications linked to the abuse in October 2018.
Following her death, the case sparked immediate and widespread national outrage, activating the social media campaign #JusticeForOchanya.
However, the legal proceedings that followed left many Nigerians shocked and disillusioned.
In April 2022, a Benue State High Court “discharged and acquitted” Dr. Andrew Ogbuja of the four-count charge of rape and causing death, citing insufficient evidence.
Meanwhile, his wife, Ochanya’s aunt, was convicted of negligence for “failing to protect the child from her husband” and was sentenced to five months in prison. Crucially, Victor Ogbuja, who was also accused, was reportedly “still at large” and never brought to justice.
The hashtag #JusticeForOchanya is currently trending again seven years after her death because the Nigerian public views this final outcome as an ongoing, profound failure of justice.
The renewed activity in October and November 2025 has been driven in part by Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, who publicly condemned the acquittal of the implicated individuals and urged the victim’s family to submit a formal petition to her office.
This political engagement, coupled with persistent demands from civil society, underscores the widespread belief that the justice system did not fully prosecute all those responsible, ensuring the #JusticeForOchanya campaign remains a painful, yet persistent, demand for accountability for victims of child sexual violence in Nigeria.
