The Nigerian Senate has taken renewed action in the quest for justice for Ochanya Ogbanje, the 13-year-old whose death in 2018 triggered widespread outrage over allegations of prolonged sexual abuse.
During Wednesday’s plenary, Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan (Kogi Central) presented a petition urging the Senate to intervene decisively in the stalled case. The petition, submitted by Inibehe Effiong Chambers on behalf of the Ogbanje family, called for urgent legislative steps to revive the matter and hold all responsible parties to account.
It specifically requested the immediate arrest and prosecution of the prime suspect, Victor Ogbuja, who has been on the run, and pressed the Benue State Government to challenge the court judgment that discharged and acquitted his father, Andrew Ogbuja.
Despite public outcry, the petition accused the Nigeria Police Force of failing to rearrest Victor Ogbuja, who absconded after the scandal broke. It also criticizes the Benue State Government for its refusal to appeal the High Court ruling that freed Andrew Ogbuja on grounds of insufficient evidence.
Following Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan’s presentation, the Senate—citing the absence of any ongoing litigation—referred the petition to its Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions for urgent action. The committee will now scrutinise the case and advise whether the upper chamber should launch a full investigation into the abuse and death of Ochanya, as well as the stalled pursuit of justice, or mandate the Benue State Government to finally file the long-requested appeal against the High Court verdict..
The Senate’s action, driven by Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, is being regarded as a pivotal chance to address what many Nigerians consider a profound miscarriage of justice.
The Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions is expected to summon all relevant parties — including law enforcement agencies, state officials, and the Ogbanje family — to present evidence and clarify the unresolved issues surrounding the case.
With the petition now officially before the Senate, the country watches closely to see whether the legislature, bolstered by Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan’s advocacy, can finally secure long-awaited justice for Ochanya, whose story remains a painful reminder of the dangers faced by vulnerable children across Nigeria.