Seven years after the death of 13-year-old Elizabeth Ochanya Ogbanje, a renewed wave of outrage has swept across Nigeria demanding accountability, justice, and systemic reform. The revived #JusticeForOchanya campaign has drawn celebrities, activists, and political figures into the fold as pressure mounts on authorities to reopen investigations and ensure that key suspects face prosecution.
Ochanya, a pupil at the time of her death in October 2018, had moved from her rural home in Ogene-Amejo, Benue State, to Ugbokolo in pursuit of better education. She lived with her aunt, Felicia Ochiga‑Ogbuja, and her husband, Andrew Ogbuja, a lecturer at the Benue State Polytechnic, alongside their son, Victor Ogbuja. Reports allege that over a period of about five years, she was subjected to repeated sexual abuse by both Mr. Ogbuja and his son. As her health deteriorated, she developed Vesicovaginal Fistula (VVF) and was eventually hospitalized before dying on October 18, 2018, at the General Hospital in Otukpo.
Initially, the case generated national protests, and the hashtag #JusticeForOchanya circulated widely. The investigation faced hurdles. In April 2022, the Benue State High Court acquitted Mr. Ogbuja, citing insufficient evidence. Meanwhile, his wife, Ms. Ochiga-Ogbuja, was convicted by the Federal High Court for negligence in April 2022 and later had that verdict upheld on appeal. She received a five-month prison sentence. However, Victor Ogbuja remains at large, declared wanted yet still unapprehended.
Now, on the seventh anniversary of Ochanya’s death, the campaign has resurfaced with amplified force. Over 10,000 social media posts were recorded within 48 hours, with voices rising on platforms like X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, and TikTok. The renewed mobilization connects this specific case with wider issues of child sexual abuse, gender-based violence, and justice system failures in Nigeria.
Among the prominent figures lending their voices is chef and social media personality Hilda Baci, who pledged ₦2 million to organizations that support survivors of sexual abuse and to the legal fight for Ochanya’s justice. She emphasized that hashtags alone were insufficient, calling for funding, accountability, and community action.
Senator Natasha Akpoti‑Uduaghan (Kogi Central) also entered the advocacy front. In a social media post, she expressed dismay that the alleged perpetrators were discharged and acquitted, and invited the family of the late teenager to her National Assembly office to formally petition for action.
Child-rights advocate Betty Abah has raised concerns that the prime suspect, Victor Ogbuja, remains free and operating with impunity. She called on the Benue State Government, the Nigeria Police Force, the Federal Ministry of Justice, and other relevant agencies to reopen the investigation and arrest all suspects.
On social media, the case’s resurfacing has been marked by viral posts, petitions, and graphic reminders. One user on X wrote: “Whatever you do today, don’t forget. A child who could have been 20 today is cold in the ground. Her name was Ochanya.”
For Ochanya’s family, the renewed campaign is both a source of solace and a burden. Her brother, John Ameh, told reporters that the family has faced years of threats and harassment, and the failure to apprehend Victor Ogbuja has been “shocking”. He questioned whether the outcome would have been different if Ochanya had been the child of a wealthy household. He further disclosed that despite multiple letters to law enforcement authorities about threats to the family and witnesses, no protection was provided.
Activists argue that the case has become symbolic of Nigeria’s broader failures to protect children, to prosecute sexual offenses, and to ensure that justice is not selective. The Central Bank of Nigeria and other agencies are not involved directly, but public perception points to structural defects in investigation, evidence-gathering, and witness protection. The fact that the principal suspect remains at large adds to the sense of impunity.
According to reports, the original case saw irregularities. Some pathologists attributed Ochanya’s death to natural causes rather than abuse. One report indicated that autopsy details were inconsistent. The proceedings revealed what legal analysts described as “technical defenses” used by the accused to defeat a clear pattern of abuse allegations.
Among the social dimensions is how celebrity amplification is influencing public discourse. Hilda Baci’s financial pledge, the activism of Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan, and posts by social-media influencers have helped thrust the story beyond Benue and into national attention. The campaign now incorporates demands for victim-survivor support, legal reform, trauma-care infrastructure, and national-level accountability. The momentum is stronger precisely because the case intersects with popular narratives of #EndChildMarriage, #BringBackOurGirls, and #SayHerName.
The renewed attention places an urgent test before the Benue State Government, the Nigeria Police Force, the Judiciary, and federal institutions tasked with child protection. At the heart is a simple question: Will the case of Ochanya be treated as a precedent, or will it drift into collective memory? The answer may define whether Nigeria evolves in its handling of sexual offenses and child abuse, or remains stuck in patterns of neglect.
As of now, no new arrests have been confirmed, and the prime suspect remains at large. The family awaits formal action. Legal experts say reopening the case would require a fresh investigation, forensic re-examination, retracing evidence, re-interviewing witnesses, and securing adequate protection for all involved. Any renewed prosecution must contend with statutes of limitations, evidence degradation over time, and possible intimidation. But many Nigerians argue that the delay itself is part of the injustice.
The story of Ochanya is a story of loss, silence, and a society’s sometimes slow wake-up call. Seven years later, the pink uniform she once wore remains a memory, the hospital visits a shadow, the alleged abuse a wound unanswered. But the revived campaign shows that memory can catalyze action. When voices across celebrities, activists, and young Nigerians converge, the hope is that justice for Ochanya becomes a benchmark, not an exception.
Whether the mobilization leads to courtrooms, convictions, and institutional change remains to be seen. But one thing is clearer: the name “Ochanya” will not be forgotten, and the demand for justice will not be silenced. Should the authorities act, it could become a turning point for Nigeria’s fight against child abuse; should they fail again, it will send another powerful signal about what justice looks like when the most vulnerable are denied it.
Samuel Aina