Tears flow as family buries slain BRT passenger Bamise in Lagos

Tears flowed on Friday, December 16, 2022, among the family members and loved ones of Bamise Ayanwola, who was found dead after boarding a bus belonging to the Bus Rapid Transport (BRT) scheme, in February.

Bamise was laid to rest at Atan Cemetery in the Yaba area of Lagos State.

It would be recalled that Bamise went missing after boarding a bus at the Chevron area of Lekki on her way to Oshodi. Her body was found days later.

A BRT driver, Andrew Ominnikoron, is facing counts of conspiracy, rape and murder over Ayanwola’s death.

Andrew was said to be conveying the victim to a destination in Oshodi when the deceased observed that he refused to pick up other passengers on the road.

Having suspected that she might not be safe in the BRT vehicle, Bamise reportedly contacted one of her colleagues at work, Felicia Omolara, to inform her about her suspicion and she was advised to disembark from the bus.

Giving her account of how she was interacting with Bamise while the bus was in motion, Omolara, however, noted that when her friend no longer responded to her chats on WhatsApp, she called her phone number, adding that when she picked the call, a man was heard arguing with her.

Meanwhile, testifying during cross-examination before the Lagos High Court in Tafawa Balewa Square (TBS) on Monday, December 12, 2022, Sunday Ihende, a police prosecutor, insisted that the BRT bus driver raped and caused the death of Bamise.