On February 26, a 22-year old woman by the name of Oluwabamise Ayanwole was declared missing, after boarding a BRT bus from Chevron Bus-Stop to Oshodi in Lagos, Nigeria. Unfortunately, Bamise never returned home and was soon pronounced dead on March 6 when her corpse was discovered on Carter Bridge by Ogogoro community in Lagos Island.

They kidnapped and killed Bamise Ayanwole and took her body parts. This is the height of cruelty. The BRT driver “Nice Andrew Omininikoron” with the bus number 240257 is on the run! Let’s ensure he’s found and thoroughly investigated. She must not die in vain 🙏 pic.twitter.com/x7nrehbp0a

— Bhadoosky𓃵 (@BhadmusAkeem) March 7, 2022

According to sources, Bamise had boarded a bus at about 7pm on the night of the event, and immediately felt unsafe when she noticed that the bus had missed its usual stops. She noticed this and informed her friend of the danger she was in, sending voice notes, videos and more to her, and capturing the scarce number of passengers on the bus which included a woman and three men, including the driver. “I hope I’m safe”, she said in a video she shared on her phone where she was seen alive while in the mass transit bus, expressing fears.

Bamise had also mentioned that the driver made advances towards her and shortly after, she went radio silent prompting her family members to raise alarm. A few days after her corpse was discovered, the driver of the BRT bus along with two other passengers present at the scene were arrested and remanded in police custody. As investigations were conducted into the untimely death of Bamise, it was discovered that the bus driver was acting alone and had carried out the inhumane act with the knowledge that the bus had no CCTV footage. 

This disheartening incident has sparked outrage as women are typically harmed and maligned in society without any justice for them. #JusticeForBamishe, began trending as many took to social media to express their grievance at yet another female life taken too soon. Last year, it was Inny Umoren, before that, it was Uwa, Barakat, Farishina and many other women whose stories never see the light of day. Now, we must collectively call for Justice for Bamise and her grieving family.

As we request for justice, a petition has been filed against the Nigerian government to announce and prosecute everyone involved in the murder, no matter how highly placed, install CCTV or dashboard cameras in public means of transportation i.e BRT buses, Lagos Taxis cars, Bolt and Ubers, as a matter of urgency. 

Bamise entered a BRT in Lagos & never came out alive.

The state government in charge of security has kept mum till now.#JusticeForBamise pic.twitter.com/KHmjEAms3O

— Rinu Oduala 🔥🔫 (@SavvyRinu) March 7, 2022

To find out more about the petition, please see here.