900 Days After: CDHR Writes Sanwo-Olu, Demands Justice Over Gruesome Murder Of Bamise By Lagos BRT Driver

COMMITTEE FOR THE DEFENCE OF HUMAN RIGHTS (CDHR)LAGOS STATE BRANCH

DATELINE : 14TH AUGUST, 2024

His Excellency,

Mr. Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu,

The Executive Governor of Lagos State,

State Secretariat,

Alausa – Ikeja,

Lagos.

Dear Sir,

THE MURDER CASE OF 22 YR-OLD MISS OLUWABAMISE AYANWOLA – 900 DAYS AFTER : AN OPEN LETTER

Compliments of the season.

Our organisation – COMMITTEE FOR THE DEFENCE OF HUMAN RIGHTS – is a registered human rights organisation having as its core objective – to defend, sustain and promote the fundamental rights guaranteed in the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria; the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights; the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights and other international conventions and covenants as well as all Acts of the National Assembly with provisions on Human Rights.

Your Excellency, we wish to formally bring to your notice, as you are aware already, of a case involving the murder of a 22 yr-old Fashion Designer – MISS OLUWABAMISE ABIGAIL AYANWOLA who was raped and brutally murdered (autopsy report) inside BRT Bus No. 240257 on Saturday 26 February, 2022 at about 7.00pm between Chevron Bus-stop along Ajah and Ebute Ero end of Lagos Island, Lagos State.

Today, Wednesday 14 August, 2024 makes it exactly 900 (nine hundred) days that Bamise was murdered. The case has been in court since March 2022. CDHR has been monitoring the case and have, on many occasions, been present in court but it is so sad that the case has continually suffered series of unnecessary adjournments till date.

We recall that sometimes in July 2022, there was a murder case of an O.A.U. (Obafemi Awolowo University) Masters Degree student who came from Abuja to write examination at Ile-Ife but was murdered in an hotel in Ife. As we speak, Osun State Judiciary has been bold enough to deliver judgement.

In the same vein, the murder case of a female lawyer – Barr. (Mrs) Bolanle Raheem, said to be pregnant with twins, who was shot by a trigger-happy policeman at Ajah, Lagos State. As we speak, judgement has been given. These are similar cases that happened after that of Bamise Ayanwola. The pertinent question to ask now is this : WHAT IS DELAYING THE MURDER CASE OF BAMISE AYANWOLA?

We have written to the Head of the Lagos State Judiciary as far back as September 2022 and we were told that even though the matter is subjudice (which we know) but that same would be speedily heard by the court but we are yet to see the speed.

Again, on the 11th July, 2023 – the day that made it 500 (five hundred) days that Bamise was murdered, we (CDHR, Lagos State) wrote a protest letter to the Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly. Again, we were told that the House of Assembly would deliberate on it and has tagged it ” MATTER OF URGENT IMPORTANCE” but up to this moment, nothing has been heard.

Your Excellency, we wish to draw your attention to the 1999 constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) Chapter 4, Section 33 under Fundamental Rights – RIGHT TO LIFE. It says “NO PERSON OR GROUP OF PERSONS HAS ANY RIGHT TO TAKE THE LIFE OF ANOTHER PERSON *SAVE* BY THE ORDER OF A COURT”. In this instance, no court gave order that Bamise’s life should be terminated and as such, the state (goverment) has a constitutional duty to fish out Bamise’s killers and appropriate sanctions should be applied in the intetest of JUSTICE.

The Lagos State Judiciary prides itself as ” the last hope of the common man” . This Bamise Ayanwola murder case is one that shall prove the above appellation to be true or not. Friday 22nd November, 2024 will make it 1,000 (One Thousand) days that Bamise Ayanwola was murdered and if by that date, judgement in the case remains elusive, Lagos State Judiciary shall have given itself the unenviable title/record of “a judiciary that sat on a murder case for more than 1,000 (One Thousand) days, i.e. 2 years, 9 months, i.e. 33 months, after the murder of the victim. Does Lagos State Government and by extension Lagos State Judiciary love this title/record? Remember sir, that JUSTICE DELAYED IS JUSTICE DENIED says a popular legal axiom.

OUR DEMAND

1. 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.

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

3. That the authorities should confirm to the whole world if, indeed, the murder suspect – the BRT Bus driver – ANDREW NICE OMINIKORON is still in prison custody.

Your Excellency, it is sad and worrisome to note and assert that if Late Bamise Ayawola had not patronised Lagos State Government-owned BRT being operated by LBSL (Lagos Bus Services Ltd), she would have been alive today. Her thinking was that BRT bus was safer than “one chance”, yet she met her untimely death right inside the BRT bus, yet no justice till this day. What message does this send to the public? It is also important to note that if Bamise Ayanwola had not been murdered, she shall be 24 years old on Saturday 30 November, 2024. What a promising future terminated !

The ball is now in the court of Lagos State Government to do the needful.

Yours faithfully,

Comrade Kehinde Adeoye, State Chairman, Committee for the Defence of Human Rights.

Comrade Adewunmi Adesina, State Secretary, Committee for the Defence of Human Rights.