#JusticeForBamise
The recent murder of a young lady, Oluwabamise Ayanwole in a BRT vehicle in Lagos metropolis, left many in deep shock and fright over the safety of BRT transport system. It has also elicited widespread calls demanding justice for the slain Bamise, who is alleged to have been raped and murdered for rituals, as her corpse is said to have been found with her genitals purportedly missing. In this Discourse, Norrison Quakers, SAN, George Oguntade, SAN, Professor HopeEghagha and Major Ben Aburime (Rtd) all call for a thorough investigation into Bamise’s untimely death, and that the culprit(s) be brought to justice swiftly. We at This Day, express our heartfelt condolences to Bamise’s family on their irreplaceable loss. “Those who walk uprightly, enter into peace” – Isaiah 57:2. May Oluwabamise’s soul rest in perfect peace. Amen
In Pursuit of Justice for Oluwabamise
Norrison Quakers, SAN, FCArb
Introduction
Due to recent occurrences, the mere thought of stepping out of the comfort of one’s home or, to put it better, discomfort, in pursuit of daily bread can make one cringe in fear for reasons not unrelated to the series of many sad tales that have since ceased to be tagged -‘Breaking News’, due to their prevalence. This brings to the fore the many failings of Government, in prioritising the welfare of the masses. Of note, the several incidents of dehumanisation of females and their relegation has led to clamours for legislations to address their valid concerns, with women groups picketing the gate of the National Assembly following Nigeria lawmakers’ rejection of five gender Bills, in the process of the amendment of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999.
Background
The word – ‘Oluwabamise’ in Yoruba parlance means- “God has blessed me”. Sadly, for the 22 year old lady- Oluwabamise Ayanwole, who was inside a Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) vehicle (regulated by the Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority, though currently operated by Primero Transport Services Limited) in Lagos, and allegedly kidnapped/murdered, with her body said to have been mutilated, her life’s travails are one too disheartening to fathom; the nature of the sad occurrence involving a BRT bus, being a laudable brain-child of the Lagos State Government on a public-private partnership arrangement cum tax payers’ funds, raises grave security concerns.
Oluwabamise’s story having allegations of rape, harvesting of her private parts, kidnapping and assault, all being sexual related offences is one of many confronting females in our polity; recall the story of Miss Keren-Happuch Akpagher, who was allegedly raped and later died of complications, 14-year-old Miss Keren died on June 22, 2021, after allegedly developing sepsis as a result of the infection caused by the condom left inside her by her rapist, which compromised her immunity.
The BRT driver – Nice Andrew Omininikoron, suspected to have abducted and murdered Oluwabamise, who was later arrested in Ogun State by the Department of State Services (DSS) and handed over to the Lagos Police Command, in a statement televised upon being paraded, on Monday March 7, 2022 at the Police Command’s headquarters in Ikeja, Lagos, recanting an alleged earlier confession of complicity, said that he did not abduct and murder Ms Ayanwole, but rather, the BRT bus he was driving was hijacked by the notorious faceless infamous – ‘unknown gunmen’. Of note, other females have recently accused Mr Omininikoron of rape cum sexual assault. Mr Omininikoron is currently being remanded at the Ikoyi Custodial Centre following the order of Yaba Chief Magistrate’s Court in Lagos, upon being charged to court on a four-count offence of conspiracy, rape, murder and misconduct with regards to Oluwabamise.
Questions
Lagos State Police Command, without doubt, promptly made the arrest with respect to Oluwabamise’s gruesome murder; but, was this proactive or reactive? Could some preventive measures have been taken by Lagos State Government? Was the death of Oluwabamise avoidable? Could criminal profiling and forensic background checks of BRT drivers operating in Lagos due to public confidence reposed in them, have made a difference? The answers to these are not far fetched; yet, to be candid, evil lurks around in unsuspecting places, as aptly captured by John Milton – ‘Law can discover sin, but not remove/ Save by those shadowy expiations weak’ (Paradise Lost, bk XII, 1.290). Another germane question is – should a media parade of the suspect – Nice Andrew Omininikoron have been carried out?
Even, by extension, when a prima facie case is established upon conclusion of investigations by the Police, as far as prosecution is concerned, the guiding rule is aptly captured by William Shakespeare vis – ‘let proof speak’(Cymberline, 1609-10, III.i); and accorded legal cloak by Olagunju JCA in State V. Duke (2003) 5 NWLR(Pt. 813)437 as follows-
‘Getting even with an accused is a barren showmanship. It is a negative approach to criminal prosecution in a reversal of role in which the ‘Public Prosecutor’ adopted the posture of a ‘Public Avenger’’.
An examination of the substantive law on Ritual killings, Kidnapping, Rape, Relevance of Criminal Profiling as Panacea, and Prohibition of Media Parade of Suspects in Lagos State where the ugly incident of the murder of Oluwabamise occurred, suffice.
The Legal Framework Examined
Firstly, Sections 33 to 35 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) grants to every Nigerian citizen the right to life, dignity of human person and personal liberty.
The Position of the Law on Ritual Killings
The discourse will briefly examine the provisions of law in this regard, due to the allegation of Ritual Killing with respect to Oluwabamise’s gruesome murder. Of note, the autopsy report of Oluwabamise Ayanwole is important in this regard, to confirm body mutilations. The court will equally consider if there was a plan to hide Oluwabamise’s corpse to conceal same, which may amount to a grand plan to cover up the crime.
Section 221 Criminal Law of Lagos State, Laws of Lagos State 2015 is apt since there is usually resultant loss of life of victims in cases of ‘ritual killings’ vis –
“Any person who unlawfully kills another commits murder or manslaughter, according to the circumstances of the case.”
Section 223 provides –
“Subject to the provisions of any other Law, a person who commits the offence of murder shall be sentenced to death.”
Section 224 provides-
“A person who unlawfully kills another in circumstances which does not constitute murder commits manslaughter if he causes death—
(a) by an unlawful and dangerous act; or
(b) with gross negligence or reckless disregard for human life.”
Generally in criminal law, the guilt of an accused person can be proved by one of three ways:- 1. The confessional statement of the accused person; 2. Circumstantial evidence and 3. Evidence of eyewitness of the crime. See: IGABELE v STATE (2006) 6 NWLR PT. 975 at 100. Circumstantial evidence is defined in MOHAMMED v STATE (2007) 13 NWLR PT. 1050, 186 at 204 as – “an evidence of surrounding circumstances which by undesigned coincidence is capable of proving a proposition with the ‘accuracy of mathematics…..”.
There is already a requirement under Section 6(1) of the Lagos State Administration of Criminal Justice (Amendment) Law 2021 to record all items recovered from an arrested person; to facilitate circumstantial evidence.
Each case depends on its own facts; but, the one test which such evidence must satisfy is that it should lead to the guilt of the accused person and leave no degree of possibility or chance that some other person could have been responsible for the commission of the offence. This is the major thing to note in successfully prosecuting offences of ritual killings, since common intention is usually prevalent; for example a suspect engaging an herbalist or trading in human parts for others to use for money rituals.
PATRICIA AJUMA MAHMOUD JCA in the recent decision – OJO v STATE(2020) LPELR-50530(CA) (Pp 8 – 26 Paras A – D) held sagaciously-
“In this case therefore, in the course of the execution of their common intention to do a money ritual, the killing and beheading of the deceased and the removing of his genitals, in my view, following this authority is enough proof of the criminal liability of all the four accused persons or convicts as it were, including the Appellant to establish that one of them caused the death of the victim.”
Likewise, the court is also guided by the doctrine of ‘last seen’. This doctrine presumes that any person last seen with a deceased, bears full responsibility for his death. See the case of KOLADE v THE STATE (2017) LPELR – 42362 (SC).
In addition, once a suspect in his confessional statement admitted in evidence, confesses to killing whilst using body parts for rituals, the findings of the court on murder will be unassailable since a man is presumed to intend the natural consequences of his act. See OMOSOWON v STATE (2019) LPELR-47889(CA).
The Position of the Law on Kidnapping
The discourse will briefly examine the provisions of law in this regard, due to allegations of kidnapping with respect to Oluwabamise’s gruesome murder.
Section 2(1) of the Lagos State Kidnapping Prohibition Law 2017 prescribes life imprisonment for forcible abduction; whilst Section 2(2) prescribes death penalty if the victim dies as a result of the kidnap.
The Position of the Law on Rape
The discourse will briefly examine the provisions of law in this regard, due to allegation of rape with respect to Oluwabamise’s gruesome murder. Of note, the autopsy report of Oluwabamise Ayanwole is important in this regard to confirm defilement.
Section 260 Criminal Law of Lagos State, Laws of Lagos State 2015 provides –
(1) Any man who has unlawful sexual intercourse with a woman or girl without her consent, commits the offence of rape and is liable on conviction to imprisonment for life.
(2) A woman or girl does not consent to sexual intercourse if she submits to the act by reason of force, impersonation, threat or intimidation of any kind, fear of harm or false or fraudulent representation as to the nature of the act.
Section 262 states –
“Any person who attempts to commit the offence of rape or sexual assault by penetration commits a felony and is liable on conviction to imprisonment for fourteen (14) years.”
Section 263 states-
“(1) Any person who sexually touches another person without his consent commits a felony and is liable on conviction to imprisonment for three (3) years.
(2) In this Section, touching may be done with any part of the body or with anything else”
Criminal Profiling as Panacea for Sexual Offences
The discourse will briefly examine the provisions of law in this regard due to series of similar allegations of rape/sexual assault levelled on the suspect with respect to Oluwabamise’s gruesome murder – Mr Omininikoron by other women.
Over time, the recurring criminal cases of rape, ritual killings and kidnapping amongst others that dot Nigeria’s criminal justice system have been attributed to absence of forensic evidence. Criminal Profiling is a behavioural and investigative tool, that is intended to help investigators to accurately predict and profile the characteristics of unknown criminal subjects or offenders.
The Administration of Criminal Justice Act 2015 (ACJA) (Sections 15 and 16 precisely) provides for recording of particulars of suspects, provision for a Central Criminal Records Registry for the Nigeria Police Force and mandates for a register of arrests to be kept at Police stations with particulars of offenders clearly set out. Of note, the following data of the suspect are to be recorded: height, photograph, fingerprint impression or other means of identification. Section 29(5) ACJA empowers the Attorney-General of the Federation to establish – ‘an electronic and manual database of all records of arrested persons at the Federal and State levels’.
Likewise, in Lagos State, Section 370 of the Lagos State Administration of Criminal Justice (Amendment) Law 2021 provides for the Lagos Criminal Information System, LCIS as a crime data register that serves as a repository of biometric data of persons who have been in contact with the Criminal Justice System.
Public Media Parade of Suspects
The discourse will briefly examine the provisions of law in this regard, due to the public media parade of the suspect with respect to Oluwabamise’s gruesome murder – Mr Omininikoron.
Section 9A of the Lagos State Administration of Criminal Justice(Amendment) Law 2021 provides-
“as from the commencement of this Law the Police shall refrain from parading any suspect before the media”.
Hence, the Police media parade of the suspect is uncalled for, hence a shortfall. There are several questions already begging for answers, as a result of the conflicting accounts of the suspect during the said media parade. This, in itself, undermines the smooth administration of justice.
Conclusion/Recommendations
Though a burial date is yet to be fixed for Oluwabamise as the autopsy result is patiently being awaited, her story captures the growing trend of violent crimes across the country, calling for speedy resolution; the involvement of a BRT, being a laudable brain-child of the Lagos State Government makes it even more disheartening.
From the foregoing exposition, death penalty is the maximum sentence if the BRT driver – Nice Andrew Omininikoron, suspected to have murdered Oluwabamise is found guilty by the court for the offence of kidnapping culminating in loss of life; definitely to be tried at the High Court of Lagos State and not a Magistrate Court, due to limits of sentencing of a Magistrate.
There is an urgent need to have a more robust public awareness initiative starting from cradles of learning in schools/entrepreneurial centres, places of worship, homes, social media circles, amongst others to checkmate sexual offences in our society.
The need for implementation of a robust criminal profiling framework in our polity is brought to the fore, since other females have recently accused Nice (Andrew) Omininikoron of rape cum sexual assault. Likewise, criminal profiling and forensic background checks of public transport drivers is desirable. It is important to have a collaboration between State Governments with the National Identity Management Commission [NIMC], in linking data of individuals to Criminal Records Registry. The legislative arm of government should prioritise the Crime and Criminal Tracking System Bill 2019, which proposes a unified system for criminal tracking and individual background checks.
The role of law as a deterrence tool, is also a panacea. Proper investigations, timely conclusion of trial, rehabilitation of victims, amongst others are some steps required in addressing this issue, since our criminal justice system is currently battling with poor funding of the Judiciary, incessant adjournments, poorly trained prosecutors, shoddy investigation of crime, amongst others.
Also, a major hinderance in prosecution of sexual offenders, is the unwillingness of surviving victims to testify due to the stigma involved; happily, this issue is now being addressed by legislation as exemplified by Section 374 of the Lagos State Administration of Criminal Justice(Amendment) Law 2021 which provides for a trial court to hold in-camera proceedings to consider measures to take testimonies such as victims giving evidence through video link, close circuit television, amongst others.
Of note, the initiative of publication of names of sexual offenders which started in Ekiti State is fast gaining ground in the South West, and should be encouraged in other parts of the country.
Everyone implicated in this gruesome murder case, must be brought to justice. Likewise, the public road transportation system in Nigeria must be made secure with CCTV (closed-circuit television) installed in public buses and public places, for ease of crime detection.
In all of this, the recurring crimes against females should not be treated with kid gloves. This admonition has become necessary, to avoid a breakdown of law and order due to recurring incidents. In particular, the Lagos State Government’s wider transport reforms (exemplified by newly introduced Last Mile buses and new e-hailing taxi scheme – Lagos Ride) stands to be impacted if Oluwabamise’s murder case is not properly resolved.
Not forgetting to add that the Media Parade of suspects as done in the instant case should be discouraged in line with the extant law in this regard, to avoid compromising investigations.
Finally, all the States of the Federation must have Sexual Violence Response Team helpline desk which must be toll-free, proactive and user friendly.
Norrison I. Quakers, SAN, FCArb, Constitutional Lawyer, Lagos
Gruesome Murder on a Lagos BRT
George Oguntade, SAN
According to Thomas Jefferson, “ the chief purpose of government is the protection of life. Abandon that, and you abandon all”.
The recent reported abduction, rape and murder of a young lady, Miss Bamise Ayanwole on a Lagos public bus is truly tragic, and a sad reflection of how much how society has retrogressed. The alleged murderer was no other than the driver of the bus, whose contractual duty it was to transport passengers to their destinations safely. Apparently, this driver is also alleged to have previously assaulted and raped another passenger.
Issues Arising
This incident raises a number of issues. The first is the recruitment process of the BRT Operators. Apart from tests to ensure that applicants can drive buses, are there any checks done to ascertain if they have criminal records or mental competency? Do the drivers provide guarantors who can attest to their general suitability for the job etc? These questions are fundamental, and I hope that the recruiters will give serious consideration to them going forward.
The next issue is that of general public safety, and protection of lives of residents of the State. This duty clearly resides with the Government. It is globally acknowledged that, crime prevention is an integral part of crime management.
This means that Governments must put in place, measures that will deter criminals from committing crimes in the first place. In many countries, closed circuit television cameras are installed strategically in public places and also on public transportation. The purpose is two-fold. Firstly, it deters criminals who know that they may be identified, traced and prosecuted. This is the deterrence effect. The other is the evidential effect, in that footages can be used in the successful prosecution of offenders.
I strongly believe that if there was a CCTV camera in that BRT, the alleged murderer would not have committed that crime on that bus. The Government therefore, needs to do more in terms of enforcement of laws and protection of lives which is its paramount duty. No matter how good and modern your laws are, they become of no moment and pale into insignificance, where there is no adequate enforcement in place. This is why people will generally break laws at will, with impunity. The cost of law enforcement is undoubtedly huge, but it is one that a responsible Government must bear in order to deliver on its chief duty to its residents.
George Oguntade, SAN, Commercial Litigator and Arbitrator, Lagos
Ritual Murder of Bamise Ayanwole, Wakeup Call for BRT Security
Prof Hope Eghagha
Introduction
As the world marked International Women’s Day two weeks ago, news of a missing 22 year old, Ms Bamise Ayanwole swept through social media, with a video of another woman, Caroline Oni, wailing frantically in front and around a BRT belonging to the Lagos State Government. This wailing brought a personal dimension to Bamise’s plight, and further deepened the tragic image of loss, frustration, and desperation. Caroline Oni, Bamise’s madam and adopted mother wailed loudly that her ward had boarded Bus 240257 that fateful night from Chevron Bus stop in Lekki heading to Oshodi, and alerted the family that she was in danger. Apparently, she was right. She could not be reached on her phone shortly after. A week later, her body was found in a morgue, having been deposited there by the Police. The Police reported that her body had been found on Carter Bridge, a week after her disappearance. It beats the imagination that a 21st century man can believe that, the harvested body parts of a human being can fetch them wealth and power!
This is a now familiar sad story in Lagos. There have been reports of commuters who went missing in Lagos, stories about passengers who were forcefully taken into the bush in the Lekki axis, saved only by divine intervention from the hands of ritual killers. The Bamise story is familiar therefore, yet it is shocking beyond words how a young lady saw her death coming, alerted her family, and nothing could stop the barbaric hands of a demented ritualist from snuffing out her life. Her death is another indication of how the State continues to fail Nigerians, and the impunity with which the State reacts. For some State officials, this is yet another death. Nothing special. They seem to say that in a matter of weeks the tension will wear off, and we will move on to other disasters, forgetting poor Bamise in the cold grace that the barbarity of scoundrels sent her to in the prime of her life.
Questions
There are questions crying to be asked and answered. How many others have lost their lives in such circumstances in Lagos and around the country? What were Bamise’s thoughts as she lay dying? The dread. The struggle, the terror. Then death! If BRT is unsafe, what is the fate of passengers who commute in those ‘danfo’ buses within the metropolis? How many have culprits have been arrested and prosecuted? How many more will die, sadly, like Bamise? Why have Lagos State officials behaved as if the image of the transport company is more important than the life of a citizen? Why was the driver allowed to address the press like a free staff of BRT, when he had to be arrested by the DSS and brought to Lagos from his hideout? Why are there conflicting reports about the state of her body from the Police and her family members?
Fortunately, Bamise left enough traces for her murderers to be caught. She was smart enough to record the Bus number, and communicate same to her family. If only she had let the scoundrel driver know that she had communicated his details to family members; perhaps, they would have let her go. If you interview commuters in Lagos, you will hear stories. There was a lady who worked in a television station in Ikeja. That early morning, she boarded a danfo, between Maryland and Ketu, she was raped inside the bus and thrown out of the moving vehicle. There was yet another, who was taken to a forest in the Lekki area. According to her, the place was a thriving market for body parts. She was spared by the ritualists, because she was in her monthly flow. A State that takes the security of life and property seriously, should have burst the ring of ritualists in Lagos.
LASG: Impunity and Falsehood
Bamise must get justice. Her killers must be brought to book, to the satisfaction of the citizens of Lagos. I suspect that the BRT driver had been in the dirty business for long. The impunity stinks. Lagos State Government, must redeem itself. Too many officials lies emanate from the State Government. The way LASG handled the anti-SARS demonstrations in 2020 in which lives were lost, is a clear demonstration of their capacity to tell barefaced lies. The investigative panels concluded that lives were lost; yet, the official position was that soldiers did not fire at protesters at the Lekki toll gate. They even had the temerity to challenge the footage of the shooting provided by CNN! The Dowen College incident is yet another stain on official narratives from Lagos. The credibility gap is widening by the day.
Necessary Measures
It is high time the Government equipped the State roads and crannies, with CCTV cameras. Every modern city takes security seriously, and the surest way of monitoring activities on the streets and communities is CCTV which quietly records incidents. Lagos State ought to have its Police Force. The foolishness of the Federal system that we operate, makes common sense a rarity in governance.
The point must be repeated that, the killers of Bamise must be prosecuted. Justice must not only be done, but it must also be seen to be done, especially considering the circumstances of Bamise’s death. There is a feeling right now that someone or some forces are trying to change the narrative, to create the impression that Lagos is safe for commuters. The truth is that Lagos is not safe. We move about and live by Providence, not because of the security measures which the State has put in place! Also, there ought to be a strong security action against the ring of ritualists in the country. Advocacy is needed too.
Finally, Bamise cried for help before she died. In death, the only thing the State Government can do, is to unravel the circumstances of her death and send a strong message to others that they will ultimately be caught by the long arm of the law! #JUSTICE FOR BAMISE.
Professor Hope Eghagha, University of Lagos
Bamise: A Ride into Eternity and the Absurdity of Intrigues
Major Ben Aburime (Rtd)
About Bamise
Oluwabamise Ayanwole was a 22-year-old Nigerian citizen. She was the last born in a family of ten, where there was parity among the sex of all ten. She was born into a Christian home, where their Pastor-Father was in his eighties, and Mummy was about a decade younger. Bamise, as she was fondly called, was still a virgin in spite of the permissive times and peer pressure of her days and age.
The Unfortunate Incident
On Saturday, February 26, 2022, Bamise took a ride in a Bus Rapid Transit (BRT), belonging to the Lagos Bus Services Limited (LBSL), boarding at Chevron bus stop and headed for Oshodi, just past 7.30pm. The bus number is 240257. It was just like any other normal BRT ride, but, not quite. There, began the tale of the unexpected.
Most of what is now known by way of facts of the case are recordings and chats by Bamise herself, which she exchanged with her friend, Felicia Omolara; and they essentially stem from her fears and apprehensions right from when she boarded the bus, and the driver, later identified as Mr Nice Andrew Omininikoro, who hails from Moba LGA of Ekiti State, instructed her to move to the back row seat, after which he locked the doors, turned off the lights, and drove off, without picking other passengers, at least, not immediately. The driver was to pick only three other people later, but before he did, Bamise had already recorded a video of the bus, showing its number and the driver’s profile. She had also exchanged chats and recorded voice notes with her friend, who had advised her to drop at the nearest bus stop wherever the bus stops next. It is apparent she didn’t have the chance to dash towards the door, from where she was seated. Soon after the driver picked up the three people, things spiralled out of control, as it appeared two of them had made a dash for her, whereby her friend could hear the agitated voice and sounds of scuffling, before she stopped responding to her friend’s chats and calls. The friend alerted the family, who immediately responded the very next day. Her body was found some days later, after some residents of Isale Eko (popularly called Ogogoro Community) reported the sight of a female corpse with missing genitals to the Council officials, who in turn, notified the Police.
After the Unfortunate Incident
24 hours after the deceased’s disappearance, the family reportedly went to the Police at Akinpelu, Maroko and Ajah respectively, but at none of the stations were they attended to. This appears to negate the claims of the Police spokesman, CSP Adekunle Ajisebutu, that they acted promptly and swiftly.
Another interesting fact was that the family went to the BRT terminal, located the bus and armed the the videos and messages, attempted to report their case. Not only did they ridicule and taunt the family, but they also appeared to have tipped off the driver who then absconded. Unknown to the BRT officials, the family recorded their interface. It was the Department of State Services (DSS) through tracking and the arrest of one of the guarantors, that eventually effected the fugitive-driver’s arrest. The maiden leaked video showed the suspect stating that he had forced carnal knowledge of her and did things to her, before she allegedly escaped through the back door. If this was a mere case of rape in the BRT bus, it will be consistent with the allegations of two earlier victims, an ex-sales girl and a medical doctor, both of who have come forward with evidence of their encounter with the same suspect.
Suspicious Role of the Police and LASG: The Recant
What is curious here is that, rather than obtain their statement and collect the exhibits, the Police merely advised them to go and make a formal complaint for investigations.
It is not in doubt that any of the three Police stations could have accepted the report, incident it, and communicate it to their command headquarters and other stations, because Lagos State Command is one, irrespective of station. That’s what they have radio setups for. Besides, the emergence of cell phones makes it easier to communicate between units, were the Police ready to work.
Even after the DSS apprehended the fugitive-driver, rather than the Police taking him into custody and recording his statement, they handed him over to the officers of Lagos State Government, an obviously interested party, who took him to TVC to record a recant of his earlier statement. By his recant, two things became evident. First, he alleged gun-threat, without saying why he never still reported the case even after the threat was over.
Second, by Lagos State seeking to exonerate the suspect, they inadvertently shot themselves in both feet. Now, this move has given rise to speculations that this driver and his bus may be part of a body engaged in ritual killings, and organs-harvesting in the light of the 2023 elections and certain persons’ political ambitions. Can one fault the speculations, given the presence of the three persons who later boarded the bus, the alleged presence of the SUV car behind them all the time, the disappearance of the driver, and the hasty self-serving interview with TVC which the State has control. If the protection of the State’s image and interest, as well as that of the LBSL/BRT is what informed the manipulations, then it was a very dumb move.
Yet another point of interest, is the fact that both the residents who reported the presence of the corpse and the family of the deceased are agreed that some of Bamise’s vitals were missing. The Police who claimed to base their source on the same family, have been told to stop telling lies in their allegations that nothing was missing. The question then is, why is the Police lying and whose interest are they protecting?
By our criminal law jurisprudence, it is only the suspect and his collaborators that can be charged and tried for this offence. Still, the family has a remedy in tort where, notwithstanding the existence of the criminal case, both the suspects as well as Lagos State Government and the LBSL/BRT can be made co-Defendants.
One final thought is that Lagos State may also be acting as they did, because of its failure to install tracking devices and CCTV cameras in all their buses. Worse still, is the fact that five good years after the hype and fanfare, CCTV cameras are still an aberration in the State. The absence of bus attendants or stewards/stewardesses is another failing. From the circumstances of this case, it is my considered opinion that only the IGP and Federal Government can carry out a meaningful and dispassionate investigation into this case.
All in all, it is not impossible, to my mind, that Bamise, a virgin, was a convenient sacrifice by a Higher Divine Order, for the protection of other millions of girls and ladies out there. Or, how else can one explain her calmness in pointing to and fishing out her killers, even in the face of all the odds? I can only salute the Amazon, a true daughter of Zion.
Major Ben Aburime (Rtd), Lawyer, Lagos
