Operatives of the Lagos State Police Command on Monday have arrested the driver of a Bus Rapid Transit who drove murdered 22-year-old Oluwabamise Ayanwole, The PUNCH has learnt.
The Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Adekunle Ajisebutu, made this known in a chat, even as he confirmed that the dead body of the lady has been found.
“The driver of the BRT has been arrested,” Ajisebutu stated.
He also said the killers of Ayanwole, who got missing in transit while onboard the bus, would face justice.
According to the PPRO, the abductors dumped the remains of the lady on the Carter Bridge by Ogogoro Community.
The PUNCH learnt that Ayanwola got missing while returning to Ota from Ajah on February 26 when she boarded a BRT bus with number 240257 going to Oshodi at about 7pm at Chevron Bus-Stop.
It was gathered that the victim worked as a Fashion Designer at Chevron Estate, Ajah spent her weekends in Ota, Ogun State, with her sister.
Sensing danger as the bus did not pick any other passenger at subsequent bus stops, Oluwabamise had engaged a friend using voice notes on her phone.
The voice notes showed that the bus driver said he liked Oluwabamise and asked for her name and other details.
She told her friend to pray for her as she became suspicious of the bus driver and in response, the friend told her to alight at Oworonsoki bus stop — before Oshodi bus stop.
Oluwabamise had also sent a video to her friend showing how dark it was in the bus and said, “There are three men and one woman in the bus. The woman is sitting at the back. That’s the number of the bus in case. Please pray for me.’’
That was the last that was heard from Oluwabamise, according to her mother.
Killers of Lagos BRT passenger will face justice – Police
In his statement titled, ‘Oluwabamise Ayanwole, Missing BRT Passenger Found Dead In Lagos’, the PPRO said, “The corpse of (Ayanwole) has been deposited at the morgue of the Mainland Hospital, Yaba, for autopsy.”
The statement added, “The bereaved family has been contacted and family members have identified the corpse as that of Oluwabamise Ayanwole, the lady earlier declared missing.
“The Commissioner of Police, Abiodun Alabi, fdc, mnim, psc, is saddened by this incident and, therefore, expresses, on behalf of the management, officers and men of the command, his heartfelt condolence to the bereaved family.
“Notwithstanding the death of Oluwabamise, the detectives handling the case would not rest on their oars until her killers are found.
“We, therefore, assure the concerned public and the bereaved family that we are closing on on the culprits and we are sure that soon the suspects would be arrested and made to face justice for this murderous act.
“While soliciting the cooperation of all and sundry, we once again appeal to anyone with additional information that could help the police in arresting the suspects to kindly oblige us. Such information, we assure, will be treated with utmost confidentiality.”
“The Command is ever determined and committed to protection of lives and properties of residents in the state; and has strengthened its security apparatus to prevent a recurrence of this ugly, disturbing incident.”
▪︎By The PUNCH.
