Lawmakers Demand Justice for Slain BRT Passenger, ‘Bamishe

Udora Orizu

The House of Representatives has urged the Nigeria Police and the National Security Intelligence, to fast track the investigations and ensure that the killers of Miss Oluwabamise Ayanwola are  brought to justice.

The House, therefore, mandated its committee on Police Affairs and National security and intelligence to ensure compliance. 

The resolutions followed the adoption of a motion of urgent national importance, titled: “Rampant Cases of Violence, Incessant Rape and Ritual Killing of Our Women Folks, a Call for Urgent Intervention”, sponsored by the Minority Leader, Hon. Ndudi Elumelu, at the plenary, yesterday. 

Elumelu, while moving the motion, noted with serious concerns, the rising cases of violence, incessant rape and ritual killing of female Nigerians by criminally-minded persons in various parts of the country.

He further noted that these incessant attacks were hindering national productivity as it was occurring amongst people in the productive age group, who were having to deal with the negative physical and psychological consequences of the vice.

He recalled that in the last six weeks, many incidents had occurred that had made headlines,the recent being that of 22 years old Miss Oluwabamise Ayanmola, whose corpse was found on Carter Bridge, at Ogogoro Community in Lagos Island, nine days after being declared missing by her family.

The lawmaker said the House was aware that Oluawabamise was last seen on the 26th day of February 2022 after boarding a BRT bus with number 240257 at about 7pm around Chevron, Lekki.

He expressed concerns that there were allegations that the BRT driver earlier confessed to  having canal knowledge of the late Bamise before killing her and harvesting some vital organs only for the story to change after some influential Nigerians intervened on his behalf.

He opined that the continuous reviews of the existing policies and laws on gender-based violence that accommodate the best practices and strategies would nip the scourge in the bud and reduce future occurrences, because the situation has become alarming, worrisome and therefore, needed urgent reaction.

Elumelu said: “Concerned that if serious sensitisation on the preventive and elimination of gender-based violence is not embarked on to curb this menace, young girls and women across Nigeria will keep falling victims to sexual assault, rape and continuous ritual killings. 

“Further concerned that as Nigerians, we must realise that this is a fight that demands action from everyone of us, hence, the need to sing with a loud voice that there is no place in our country for those, who commit this sort of violence and this can be achieved by adopting a multi-faceted approach that requires increase in advocacy and partnerships between government, the private sectors and grassroots.”

Adopting the motion, the lawmakers observed a minute silence in honour of Bamise.