Who She Was

Ochanya was just like any other young girl with dreams — smart, hopeful, and determined to go to school. She lived in a rural part of Benue and moved in with relatives in order to attend school. Sadly, what was supposed to be an opportunity for a better life turned into years of unimaginable horror.

😔 What Happened to Her

While living with the family, Ochanya was repeatedly sexually abused for several years. The abuse reportedly caused her to develop vesicovaginal fistula (VVF) — a condition that leaves a hole between the bladder and the vagina, leading to uncontrollable leakage of urine. Doctors who treated her confirmed the injuries were consistent with prolonged sexual trauma.

Despite undergoing treatment at the Federal Medical Centre, Makurdi, her tiny body couldn’t take it anymore. On 17 October 2018, 13-year-old Ochanya passed away. The news of her death sparked outrage, tears, and a national demand for justice.

Two men were accused of being responsible for Ochanya’s abuse:

• Dr. Andrew Ogbuja, a lecturer at Benue State Polytechnic, and

• Victor Ogbuja, his son.

Both were said to have abused Ochanya over the years she stayed in their home. Victor was declared wanted by the police in 2018 and reportedly fled, while Andrew was taken to court.

Also involved was Felicia Ochiga-Ogbuja, Andrew’s wife, who was supposed to be Ochanya’s guardian and caretaker. She was charged for negligence — for failing to protect the child from the abuse happening under her own roof.

In 2022, a Benue State High Court acquitted Dr. Andrew Ogbuja of rape and related charges. However, Felicia Ochiga-Ogbuja was found guilty of negligence by a Federal High Court and sentenced to five months in prison, a conviction that was later upheld by the Court of Appeal in Makurdi.

The second accused, Victor Ogbuja, remains at large to this day. Some reports suggest he might be living in Lagos, but authorities have yet to arrest him.

Public Outrage and the #JusticeForOchanya Movement

The day Ochanya died, Nigeria lost more than a child — the nation lost its innocence. When details of her abuse came out, Nigerians flooded the streets and social media with the hashtag #JusticeForOchanya, demanding accountability from both the government and the justice system.

Over the years, the outrage has never fully died down. Each October — around the anniversary of her death — her name trends again online, with people demanding that Victor be found and that the justice system do better for victims of sexual violence.

Ochanya’s story is not just another tragedy; it’s a mirror reflecting how society often fails children. It shows how easily silence and negligence can destroy lives — and how much work Nigeria still has to do in protecting minors.

Her case exposed the gaps in our justice system, the slow pace of trials, and the painful reality that many victims of sexual abuse never get the justice they deserve. Despite her death, Ochanya’s name has become a symbol — a reminder that every child deserves safety, dignity, and a voice that cannot be silenced.

Seven years after her death, Nigerians continue to remember and fight for Ochanya. Activists, journalists, and young people online are once again demanding that the fugitive suspect, Victor, be brought to justice and that cases like this never be ignored again.

Because justice delayed is justice denied — and in Ochanya’s case, justice still feels heartbreakingly incomplete.

Written by The Gild Blog Team