The Pan African Students Press Club (PASPec) has joined millions of voices across Nigeria and Africa to demand justice for the late Ochanya Ogbanje, the 13-year-old schoolgirl who died in 2018 after years of alleged sexual abuse by her guardian and his son.
In a statement released on Wednesday, PASPec described Ochanya’s death as “a national shame and a painful reminder of the systemic failure to protect young girls from sexual predators.” The students’ media body called on the Federal Government of Nigeria, the Benue State Government, and the Judiciary to revisit the case and ensure that all those responsible for her death are held accountable.
“Justice delayed is justice denied. Seven years have passed since Ochanya’s brutal ordeal came to light, yet the cry for justice still echoes unanswered,” the statement read.
“We, as students and advocates of truth, call on the court and the government to act decisively. The spirit of Ochanya deserves peace, and her story must continue to awaken conscience and reform.”
PASPec further urged schools, student unions, and media bodies to amplify awareness against sexual violence, child abuse, and institutional silence that allows such crimes to persist.
The club reaffirmed its commitment to using journalism as a tool for social justice across the continent, saying that “no child should ever have to suffer what Ochanya suffered.”
The late Ochanya Ogbanje, a student of the Federal Government Girls’ College, Gboko, died in 2018 from complications linked to prolonged sexual assault allegedly committed by her guardian, a lecturer at Benue State Polytechnic, and his son. While the lecturer was later acquitted, public outrage and advocacy for renewed prosecution continue to grow nationwide.
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