BRT Murder: Family Challenges Police Claim On Body

The family of Bamise Ayanwole, the 22-year-old whose body was found on Monday after she boarded a Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) vehicle on February 26, refuted police claim that her body parts were not tampered with by her killers.

Speaking at a briefing in Ikeja yesterday, Damilola Ayanwola, Bamise’s elder sister, said her killers harvested her parts while she was still alive.

“They made Bamise suffer, they removed her private parts. She suffered the pain, a hell on earth before she moved to her destination,” she said.

Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu expressed outrage over the killing.

In a statement yesterday he called for calm as security agencies investigated the death, promising that justice would be served.

There was heavy security presence at the Gani Fawehinmi Park in Ojota, Lagos, where some youths planned a protest to demand that Bamise’s killers be found and punished.

Soldiers, policemen, officials of the Department of State Services (DSS) and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) were mobilised at strategic points at the park.

Our reporter observed many patrol vans, anti-riot gun trucks and Black Marias at the scene but no protester was, seen at the park by 9:00am when our correspondent filed this report.

Vehicular movement and business activities continued unhindered in the area.

Governor Sanwo-Olu said anyone found culpable in Bamise’s death would face the full wrath of the law.

He spoke on the sidelines during the celebration of the International Women’s Day.

He said the police and other security agencies would carry out a thorough investigation of the crime.

He said: “I personally condemn the act and offer my condolences to the family of citizen Oluwabamise; her death is very unfortunate.

“I have been seeing several narratives and write-ups, some extremely sensational, saying the government wants to cover some things up. But I can assure you there is nothing like that. Investigations are on by the security agencies constitutionally empowered to do so and I am sure the police are competent enough to get to a conclusion.

“Government will get to the root of the crime and also ensure this does not repeat itself. People have also been saying we don’t have camera in our vehicles but that is not true. There are CCTV cameras and trackers in the buses we bought two years ago, but the additional ones we bought locally have no cameras because they need so many configurations to install one.

“It is also imperative to educate Lagosians on operations of the buses. Once the lights have been switched off, the drivers are meant to drive back empty to their yards but any bus still in service will have its light on. Once the lights of a bus are off, and the radar is not showing its route, do not enter it because the conductors and checkers would have been out, leaving only the driver to take the bus to the terminal.”

Speaker of the House of Assembly Mudashiru Obasa said the House, through legislative action, would ensure justice is served in Bamise’s death.

He addressed protesters at the Assembly.

The state government yesterday suspended BRT operations as a precaution after intelligence on “planned attacks” by unidentified persons.

Sympathisers besieged Bamise’s residence to condole with her family.

Wife of the state governor, Dr Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu said there were plans to install Close-Circuit Television (CCTV) cameras on all BRT buses in the state.

She said this yesterday in Lagos during a protest against the rejection of the gender equality bill by the National Assembly.

She described the death of Bamishe as devastating.

She said, “From now on, BRT buses will have six cameras. And our drivers will be protected. As mothers, we are devastated. We are in shock.”

Thousands of commuters were stranded at various bus stops as BRT and Lagos State Bus Services vehicles were withdrawn from the roads.

A source at Ikorodu depot of Primero Transport Services said the measure was taken to prevent Lagosians, angered by the killing of Oluwabamise, from venting their anger on the buses.

Andrew Nice Omininikoron, 47, prime suspect in Bamise’s murder, allegedly said he perpetrated some “dirty acts” with regard to Bamise’s killing.

Omininikoron was said to have made the confession in a minute and 12 seconds leaked video recorded by DSS operatives in Ogun State who arrested him on Monday night.

In a portion of the leaked video, he apparently said: “She forced herself from the back door. She was crying for help and everything was recorded and because of the dirty act I have done and how stupid I am, I was afraid and I zoomed off. I couldn’t even tell my friend. I zoomed off because I was afraid and I committed a blunder.”