- Safiu Kehinde
Nigerian Afrobeats singer, Tiwa Savage, has joined other resenting voices to demand justice for Ochanya Ogbanje, the 13-year-old girl raped to death by her aunt’s husband, Andrew Ogbuja, and her son, Victor Ogbuja.
Netizens had on Thursday reignited calls for justice for the teenager who tragically passed away in 2018 after five years of being sexual assaulted by his uncle and his son in Benue state.
Leading the charge for the reopening of Ochanya’s case was Kogi lawmaker, Sen. Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, who in a post on her Instagram handle urged the family of the late girl to write a petition to her.
Tiwa Savage would also lent her voice over the case as she took to her X handle to demand justice for Ochanya who, according to her, suffered unthinkable pain in the hands of those meant to protect her.
“My heart is heavy. A young girl suffered unthinkable pain at the hands of those meant to protect her and lost her life because of it.
“We can’t stay silent. We can’t continue to hide behind family titles and tradition. She deserves justice. Every child deserves safety.” The singer wrote.
According to reports, the late Ochanya had moved to stay with her Mom’s sister for academic proximity at the age of seven.
As she clocked 8, her aunt’s son, Victor, started abusing her.
Victor was caught in the act by his sister who reported to the case to their father.
While initially scolding his son, Andrew, Lecturer at Benue Polytechnic and a Catholic Knight, later joined him in molesting the poor minor.
They both abused her from 2013 to 2018 until body finally broke down.
Ochanya was hospitalized for two months.
She reportedly developed Vesicovaginal Fistula (VVF), a condition that causes urine and faeces to leak uncontrollably, due prolonged sexual assault and neglect.
Eventually, her aunty confessed, leading to arrest of her husband, Andrew.
Their son however evaded arrest while his father was charged for homicide and sexual assault.
In 2023, a high court in Makurdi shockingly acquitted him, saying the prosecutors didn’t have enough proof, despite two autopsies and a video testimony by Ochanya before she died.
Rather, her mother, Felicia Ogbuja, was sentenced to 5-months jail for neglect.