Justice for Ochanya: 7 Years On, Foundation Renews Defiant Call for Action
Enugu, November 1, 2025 – The Kunie Foundation, an Enugu-based advocacy group, has renewed its powerful call for Justice for Ochanya, seven years after the 13-year-old schoolgirl died following years of sexual abuse in Benue State.
In a statement issued in Enugu on Friday, the Foundation’s Communications Manager, Mr. Uchenna Igboeme, expressed outrage that justice for Ochanya Ogbanje remains elusive, despite national outcry and multiple court proceedings.
According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Ochanya, a Junior Secondary School student of the Federal Government Girls College, Gboko, died on October 17, 2018, from complications arising from prolonged sexual abuse allegedly perpetrated by her cousin, Victor Ogbuja, and his father, Andrew Ogbuja. Justice for Ochanya
Igboeme described the case as “a chilling reminder of systemic failure” that continues to deny vulnerable girls’ protection and justice across Nigeria.
“Ochanya, a 13-year-old schoolgirl, suffered prolonged sexual abuse at the hands of those who were meant to protect her, yet seven years after her death, justice remains painfully delayed,” he lamented.
He said that as an organization dedicated to co-creating sustainable futures for women and children, Kunie Foundation was deeply disturbed by the slow pace of legal proceedings and the culture of impunity surrounding sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) – preventing Justice for Ochanya.
“Every day justice is delayed, another girl is silenced, and another family is left heartbroken,” Igboeme said.
He called for urgent reforms to strengthen Nigeria’s child protection systems and ensure strict enforcement of the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act (VAPP Act).
“At Kunie Foundation, our work focuses on advocacy, research, and community-led interventions that protect vulnerable children, empower women, and dismantle the barriers that perpetuate inequality and abuse,” he added.
Igboeme urged the Benue State Government, the Federal Ministry of Justice, and the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) to act decisively and bring the perpetrators to justice without further delay.
“Justice for Ochanya is not just about her – it’s about protecting every Nigerian child from such horror. Silence and inaction are forms of complicity we can no longer afford,” he said.
He called on the media, civil society groups, and concerned citizens to continue amplifying Ochanya’s story as a rallying cry for accountability and reform.
“May Ochanya’s soul continue to rest in peace, and may her death awaken our collective conscience to protect every girl child across Nigeria,” he prayed.
In April 2022, the Benue High Court discharged and acquitted the accused persons on a four-count charge of rape, citing insufficient evidence. Justice Augustine Ityonyiman noted that police investigators failed to conduct a medical examination to link Andrew Ogbuja with the findings in the autopsy reports.
The judgment also revealed inconsistencies between the two autopsy results – one from the Federal Medical Centre, Makurdi, which stated that Ochanya died of natural causes, and another from the Nigeria Police Forensic Laboratory, Lagos, which linked her death to complications from sexual abuse.
For related advocacy efforts, visit Kunie Foundation or follow ongoing updates on GMT News.
