Driver of a Bus Rapid Transit, which was boarded by the murdered 22-year-old fashion designer, Oluwabamise Ayanwole, has been arrested in Ogun State.
Police confirmed the arrest of the driver identified as Nice Andrew Omininikoron on Monday afternoon shortly after the death of Bamise was made public.
Read Also: #JusticeForBamise: Outrage As Lady Declared Missing After Boarding BRT Is Found Dead, Mutilated
Confirming the incident, the spokesperson for the Lagos State Police Command, Adekunle Ajisebutu, said the driver has been arrested.
The young lady went missing on February 26, 2022, after she boarded a BRT with number 240257 heading to Oshodi at about 7:30 pm to see her sister-in-law, who was said to be in labour.
When the fashion designer felt uncomfortable in the vehicle due to the conduct of the driver, she reportedly sent distress messages to her friends. The driver has told her to sit at the back despite being the only one in the vehicle.
Bamise was said to have sent the vehicle details to them in case anything happened to her and also asked them to pray for her.
Oluwabamise’s body was found along the Carter Bridge by Ogogoro Community and an unidentified man reportedly informed officials of Ebute Ero Police Station on Saturday evening.
The corpse was later taken to the Mainland Hospital mortuary.
Until her death, she worked as a fashion designer at Chevron Estate in Ajah, Lagos, but spent the weekends at Ota, Ogun state, with her sister.
Speaking about the incident, sister of the victim, Elizabeth expressed;
When she entered the BRT bus, it was only her, and there was no light inside the bus. She had felt safe inside the BRT since it is a popular state bus, but she wondered why it was only her that was in the bus and the driver didn’t pick any other passenger. She was even conversing with a colleague of hers because she felt unsafe. She was sending voice notes to her friend. Her friend advised her to drop since the driver didn’t pick up any other passenger.
She stressed;
Before entering, she informed her friend that the driver was passing some remarks at her but she didn’t answer. So later on, the driver later picked up three people on the road: two men and a lady. Then she now felt calm. Before the driver picked the three other persons who had disguised as passengers, she made several videos of the bus and the driver and sent it to her friend. The video captured the bus number. It helped us in tracking the bus.
Elizabeth added;
Her phone was not ‘low’. It is a new phone she just bought three weeks ago. Her friend chatted with her several times, but she didn’t reply. She tried calling her via normal call a few minutes to 8 pm, but she didn’t pick up. Around 7:32 pm, she posted ‘God, it is your protection I need’ on her WhatsApp status. I saw the status but I didn’t see it on time because I was not online. After repeated calls, her friend said she heard some voices underneath trying to struggle to get the phone from her.
If only she knew this was her last moment, Oh Bamise ! The government failed you, yet again 🤦♀️💔
Fr nobody! Nobody deserves such….
Rest in peace Bamise 🙏#JusticeForBamise pic.twitter.com/Xt9Wp3Zbb0— Miz_Estyfrosh😌 🥰 😈 (@MEstyfrosh) March 7, 2022
According to ChannelsTV, a confirmed source said that the suspect, who disappeared into thin air after the incident, was arrested by operatives of Department of State Service (DSS) in the Odogbolu area of the state.
Also, Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, Adekunle Ajisebutu, revealed that the police had arrested two persons linked to the driver.
The police spokesman said;
As soon as the report got to the police, investigation into the circumstances surrounding the disappearance of the lady was immediately initiated.
To ensure a speedy and diligent investigation, the Commissioner of Police, CP Abiodun Alabi, immediately directed the State Criminal Investigation Department, Panti to take over the case.
Ajisebutu stated;
In the course of ongoing investigation, two suspects have been arrested and are currently helping in our investigation.
While assuring that police detectives will continue to work assiduously to find the missing lady and bring her abductors to justice, the Command wishes to appeal to anyone with useful information that could help in our investigation to promptly give it to us for further necessary actions.
According to the police spokesman, preliminary investigation revealed that the victim may have been pushed down from the bus while motion.
This is even as he stated that efforts are ongoing by Lagos State Police Command to take over the suspect from the DSS.
