TUC demands justice for 13-year-old Ochanya allegedly raped by father, son

Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) has demanded justice for late Ochanya Elizabeth Ogbanje, a 13-year-old girl who was allegedly raped by a father and his son in Gboko in Benue State.

Chairperson of the TUC Women Commission, Comrade Oyinkan Olasanoye in a statement in Abuja urged Nigerians not to keep quiet about it, adding that justice for Elizabeth was justice to the thousands of women all over the world who had suffered same.

The labour union urged Nigerians not to keep quiet about issues of rape which it described as a crime against humanity, insisting that the government must bring the culprits to justice.

The statement reads: “We have received with a deep shock the news of the death of Miss Elizabeth Ochanya Ogbanje, a 13-year-old pupil of Federal Government Girls College (FGGC), Gboko, Benue State.

“We feel more saddened that her death was caused by a health condition called “Vesicovaginal Fistula” and other related diseases that arose from the several sexual abuses a 51-year-old lecturer in the Department of Catering and Hotel Management, Benue State Polytechnic, Mr Andrew Ogbuja, and his son, Victor, a student of the Federal University of Agriculture, Markurdi. The deceased was living with them and for many years they defiled her through her virgina and anus.

“Truth be told, the incidences of rape have continued because the country is not doing enough to curb it. The act in itself is bad, but worse when minors are the victim. To imagine the mental torture the deceased went through in itself should be a torture to sane minds, especially women.

“One, however, wonders how these things happened under the roof of Mrs Ogbuja without her knowledge: we suspect a foul play here!

“We want to cease this opportunity to condemn the “loud silence” of victims and relatives when a rape has taken place. If rape is a crime of aggression with the sole aim of having sexual intercourse without the consent of the other person then we must not keep quiet.

“The shame and stigmatization of rape victims have been going on for long and it has not done the womenfolk any good. Statistics of incidences of rape cases available has shown that if the country (especially the lawmakers, security agencies, Trade Unions and Non-Governmental Organisations) do nothing drastic, soon the magnitude will so increase that every home becomes a potential victim.

“The time for parents to stop taking things for granted is now. From the look of things our children are no longer safe with uncles, cousins, nephews, nieces, and even people of the same faith. It is Elizabeth Ochanya today, who knows who would be next?

“On our part as Women in Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC), we will not keep quiet or do nothing on this matter. Justice to Elizabeth on this case is justice to the thousands of women all over the world who have suffered the same fate.

“To have carnal knowledge of a little girl through the anus and vagina since she was eight is unimaginable and a crime against humanity, especially the womenfolk. We urged the judiciary and security agents not to sweep this very case under the carpet.”

It was reported that Ochanya had battled Vesicovaginal fistula (VVF) and other health complications at the Benue State University Teaching Hospital, Makurdi after being allegedly severely abused by one Andrew Ogboja, Head of Department, Catering and Hotel Management at the Benue State Polytechnic, Ugbokolo, Benue State, and his son, Victor Inalegwu Ogboja, a final year student of Animal Production at the Federal University of Agriculture, Makurdi.

It was gathered that Ochanya later died following the complication from vesicovaginal fistula (VVF) and other health complications.