The Human Rights Defender and Advocacy of Nigeria, yesterday called
for immediate arrest and trial of a senior lecturer with the Benue
state Polytechnic, Ugbokolo, Andrew Ugboja and son, Victor, for
allegedly raping a 13-year-old girl to death.
Ochanya Elizabeth Ogbanje, who was living with Mr. Ugboja, was
allegedly defiled by the polytechnic lecturer and his son, resulting
to the girl having vesico vaginal fistula (VVF) and other diseases
which later led to her death.
The organisation, in a statement signed by its President, Innocent
Agbo and made available to Blueprint in Makurdi, expressed
disappointment over the incident.
It said, despite the widespread national outcry against the grave act
of criminality against the minor, security agencies in the state could
not find it imperative to arrest and commence full investigation into
the alleged crime by Ogbuja and his son.
‘‘We view the crime against the late Ochanya as one that no decent,
civilised and just society would tolerate,’’ Agbo stated.
The organisation called on the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim
Idris, to immediately direct the Benue state Commissioner of Police,
Ene Okon, to arrest and bring the perpetrators of the crime to
justice.
The group equally called on both the federal and state governments to
come out with position on the matter and ensure that justice is done
to the late Ochanya.
“It is absolutely unacceptable and an insult to the sensibilities of
Nigerians and humanity that almost a week after late Ochanya’s
gruesome death after years of torture and pain, the principal
suspects, Mr Ogbuja, who was said to be a senior lecturer at the
Department of Catering and Hotel Management, Benue State Polytechnic,
Ugbokolo, and his son, Victor, a final year student at the Federal
University of Agriculture, Makurdi, are still walking the streets as
free men.
“On behalf of the family of 13-year-old Ochanya Elizabeth Ogbanje,
whose tragic death occurred on Wednesday, October 17, 2018 as a result
of obvious complications arising from the prolonged sexual molestation
by the husband of her guardian, Mr Andrew Ogbuja, and his son, Victor
Ogbuja, we hereby demand for the immediate arrest and prosecution of
the perpetrators of this barbaric act.’’
