The Nigerian Bar Association’s Human Rights Institute (NBA-HRI) has called for the immediate reopening of the case of 13-year-old Elizabeth Ochanya Ogbanje, whose tragic death remains one of the darkest stains on Nigeria’s conscience. The organization is demanding accountability from the Inspector-General of Police, the Attorney-General of the Federation, the Benue State Government, and the Presidency over what it describes as a “failed justice process.”
Ochanya’s ordeal began when she was only eight years old. She was placed under the care of a university lecturer and his family, trusted to protect and nurture her. Instead, she endured years of abuse that led to her untimely death. The case, which shook the nation in 2018, has since become a painful symbol of how society often fails its most vulnerable. In 2022, while the lecturer was acquitted, his wife was convicted of negligence and sentenced to just five months in prison. The son, who was also implicated, has not faced the full weight of justice.
The NBA-HRI has condemned this miscarriage of justice, describing it as an open wound on the nation’s moral fabric. According to the association, “Justice delayed is not only justice denied, it is complicity.” The body insists that the authorities cannot continue to treat cases of child abuse and sexual violence with levity, especially when clear evidence exists and the victims’ voices have been silenced by death.
The organization is calling for an immediate judicial review of the case, renewed investigation and prosecution of all suspects involved, and the establishment of a Child Sexual Offences Response Desk in every state. It also demands transparency in releasing investigation and autopsy reports, provision of legal representation for Ochanya’s family, and greater institutional accountability from both state and federal agencies.
For the NBA-HRI, this is no longer just about one girl — it is about the kind of society Nigeria is becoming. When systems fail to protect the innocent, they embolden evil. When institutions remain silent, they become accomplices. The association’s message is loud and clear: a nation that cannot protect its children cannot claim to have a future.
Ochanya’s case must not fade into the shadows of forgotten stories. Her name should continue to echo in the conscience of this country until justice is served. Silence, in the face of her suffering, is betrayal. Justice, long overdue, is the only way Nigeria can begin to heal from this wound that has refused to close.
