CDHR Marks 1000 Days Since Alleged Murder Of Bamise Ayanwola By Lagos BRT Driver, Demands Justice

The Committee for the Defence of Human Rights (CDHR) has raised the alarm over the continued delay in the prosecution of those responsible for the brutal murder of 22-year-old fashion designer, Miss Oluwabamise Abigail Ayanwola.

On February 26, 2022, Bamise was allegedly raped and murdered aboard Lagos State’s BRT bus (No. 240257), operated by Lagos Bus Services Ltd., between Ajah and Ebute-Ero on Lagos Island.

The human rights organisation said, despite the driver’s arrest and charging in March 2022, justice has yet to be served.

In a statement issued by CDHR’s Lagos State branch, the organisation slammed the slow pace of the trial, which has seen numerous adjournments and raised suspicions about the government’s potential involvement.

“Why has the case dragged for over 1,000 days while other similar cases have been concluded in less time?” questioned Comrade Kehinde Adeoye, CDHR Lagos State Chairman.

The statement further accused the Lagos State judiciary of delaying justice and called for accountability, suggesting that the delay may be due to the fact that the alleged murderer is a Lagos State government employee.

CDHR highlighted the contrast between the protracted Bamise Ayanwola case and two other murder cases that were concluded within months.

The organisation also drew attention to the posthumous recognition given to Bamise for her courage in capturing vital evidence on her phone before her death, earning her a Woman of Courage award in 2022.

As the case continues to languish in the courts, CDHR has called for international attention, suggesting that the Lagos State Judiciary deserves to be recognized in the Guinness Book of Records for taking more than 1000 days to adjudicate a murder case.

The CDHR said it is demanding immediate action from the Lagos State government to ensure justice for Bamise Ayanwola and all those seeking justice in Nigeria.

The statement read, “If the thinking in some quarters is that the case should be deliberately delayed so that after some time, people would be tired and not taik about it any more or probably forget about it, we wish to inform Lagos State Government (Executive, Legislative and Judiciary) that the more the case is delayed/adjourned unnecessarily, the stronger we become.
“As “the “VOICE OF THE VOICELESS” and DEFENDER OF THE DEFENCELESS , we shall not relent on this matter until JUSTICE is served. We want to remind government once again of the popular legal axiom – JUSTICE DELAYED IS JUSTICE DENIED.

It said, “We remain resolute in our demand: That the four other persons – three men and one woman – in the said BRT bus as at the time of Bamise Ayanwola’s brutal murder, should be identified, named and brought to justice.

“That the Android phone belonging to Late Miss Oluwabamise Ayanwola, with which she was communicating with her friend, while she was inside the BRT bus and sensing danger, the information which led to the arrest of the murder suspect, should be produced.”

The statement continues, “We still want the authorities to confirm to Nigerians and the whole world if, in actual fact, the murder suspect – the BRT bus driver is actually in prison custody.

“Fellow Compatriots, we also wish to inform the United Nations that the name of Lagos State Judiciary should enter GUINNESS BOOK OF RECORDS as one Judiciary that sat on a murder case for MORE THAN 1,000 DAYS (more than 2 years + 9 months) after the brutal murder of the victim.

“As a result of her bravery in exposing the nefarious acts of evil-minded persons, even in the face of danger and imminent death, by sending video and vital information to her friend using her android phone, Bamise Ayanwola was given a post-humous award of WOMAN OF COURAGE by Committee for the Defence of Human Rights (CDHR), Lagos State Branch on the 11 June, 2022 during our Annual Branch Convention,” the statement said.