By Stephen — Dalena Reporters
November 27, 2025
ABUJA — Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan (PDP, Kogi Central), working through human-rights lawyer Inibehe Effiong, has filed a formal petition to the Senate President urging the red chamber to intervene in the long-running, unresolved case of a 13-year-old girl, Ochanya Ogbanje, who died in 2018 after years of horrific sexual abuse — allegedly at the hands of a suspect who remains at large seven years after the case first became public.
According to the petition obtained by Dalena Reporters, the girl — originally from Ogene-Amejo in Okpokwu Local Government Area of Benue State — was placed in the care of a maternal relative in Ugbokolo so she could attend school. Instead, her new guardian, along with a close relative, allegedly subjected her to repeated and brutal sexual assault over many years, beginning when the victim was as young as eight. The abuse reportedly included both vaginal and anal rape.
The petition recounts that despite the severity of the crimes and the fact that one prime suspect, Victor Ogbuja, was identified soon after the case went public, he has never been arrested or prosecuted. According to the document, the only person convicted was the child’s maternal guardian, who was later jailed for neglect of duty; the other accused, including Victor, evaded justice. Meanwhile, the victim suffered severe medical complications — including a vesico-vaginal fistula — before she died in October 2018.
Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan describes the continued failure to apprehend Victor Ogbuja as a glaring example of institutional impunity and a violation of basic human-rights protections. The petition calls on the Senate to refer the matter to the Standing Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters for a full investigation. It warns that the prolonged inaction not only denies justice to the deceased and her family, but also sends a dangerous signal that perpetrators of sexual violence against children may escape accountability if they flee or wield influence.
The lawyer representing the family, Inibehe Effiong Chambers, declared they are handling the case pro bono and demanded that the Senate’s involvement lead to renewed pressure on relevant law-enforcement authorities — namely the police and the Ministry of Justice — to issue a warrant for Victor Ogbuja’s arrest and ensure a transparent, expedited trial.
Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan, in her petition, lamented the tragic loss of young lives and stressed that “the girl-child deserves better protection under our laws.” She called on her colleagues in the National Assembly to seize the opportunity to vindicate the memory of Ochanya Ogbanje, and to reaffirm the Senate’s role as a guardian of human rights and justice for all Nigerians.
Dalena Reporters will continue to monitor the Senate’s response and report any developments regarding this critical appeal for justice.