By Onyinyechi Ugwoke
Damilola Titilayo Ayanwola, the elder sister of Bamise Ayanwola, the murdered lady on the Lagos BRT, has revealed how she died in pain.
Damilola claimed that the private part of Bamise was cut while she was still alive, contradicting the claim made by the Lagos State Police Command.
“They did not kill her before they cut her private part. My sister experienced hell-in-cell situation like that of wrestling before her last breath on earth.”
She spoke at a press conference at CDHR’s office, Adeniyi Jones, Ikeja with other members of the family on Tuesday, 8th March, 2022.
“My family is not wealthy or powerful, but we have God. We work hard and struggle to make ends meet. We’re happy with what we’ve got. We are fundamentally Christian. Why has our last born been used for worldly things? This is a case of money ritual.
“They made her stop at a bus stop where she was not supposed to stop.”
Titilayo, the elder sister to the deceased, lamented the fact that this is happening when their parents are advanced in age.
“My mum who is 74 years old, and my Dad 84 years old, in the morning time, they didn’t mourn over any one of us the children, at this phase of their life, they are enjoying the little token that we are rendering to them.
“They used the death of Bamise to cause sorrow for the family. She had a dream to become a fashion designer and she was doing brilliantly well in the training but look at what they’ve caused. Please we want Justice.”
Mr James Joel, a relative who learned of Bamise’s disappearance while in Sango-Ota, said the police treated the situation lightly when Bamise’s sister went to the police station to report.
“When my sister could no longer wait for Bamise to report, she went to the police station on Sunday. The cops brushed her off, treating the issue with levity despite the fact that there was clear evidence “Mr. James explained.
“On Monday morning, she and a few other family members went to Oshodi BRT Bus Terminal 3 and explained what happened in the hopes that the problem would be investigated, but the officials there just laughed it off,” he stated.
“We met a man at the park who said Bamise went to enjoy herself and that she will call us, but she does not want to call now because she was enjoying herself while in pains where they were cutting her private part.”
They immediately went to Mosafejo Police Station at Oshodi, where the police informed them that they are not in charge of that area, indicating that the incident occurred around Lekki/Chevron, that they have no involvement in the matter while knowing it is a missing person case.”
The lawyer who insisted on finding justice for Bamise stated that recent concerns about the country’s security situation were also a factor in holding the press conference, stating that “anger” is not the appropriate response to the situation.
“We are very concerned about the engulfing security situation that this problem has created,” he said. “As a result, we insist on seeking justice for Bamise.” It’s not so much about expressing anger as it is about channelling it into action.
Crying bitterly, Comfort Ayanwola, mother to the deceased (Bamise), speaking to Journalists at their residence said, “My daughter had been an upright girl. She never lived a wayward life or jumped from man to man. She never agreed to have a date or a husband until she must have established herself in her trade. She said her bosses had their own businesses and vowed to do the same. In fact, she promised to build a house for me but unfortunately became someone whose body parts they were mutilating.”
“Oluwabamise, the daughter who the Lord gave me, boarded the Lagos government BRT bus and was declared dead.” “I will never see her again,” she sobbed in Yoruba.
“All I want is justice.” I want true justice that will not be thwarted by those in positions of power.
“I am from Ekiti. I want the Ekiti state government to work with the Lagos state government to get justice for me. Apart from God, I don’t have any influential person in my life.
“If it wasn’t God who said it was time for him to be apprehended, the phone she was using before got ruined.” I could barely hear her when she called me on her old phone before she got a new one.
“She recently purchased a new phone through a payment by installment. It had been 15 days since she had purchased the new phone. It was the phone she used to text her friend about what was going on inside the BRT bus.
“I want the Lagos state government and all Nigerians to stand up for us so that we can get justice.” This isn’t the first time a BRT bus has been used to kill people. Everything was brought out by my daughter’s case.
“I read in the news that the BRT driver is saying this and that. He’s been told to say those things. He is the one who kidnapped and murdered my daughter.”
However, a large crowd of sympathisers descended on Bamise’s home to express their condolences to the family.
“We want Justice for Bamise,” they said, holding placards.
They urged Governor Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State and the Commissioner of Police to ensure that justice is served.
Some activists also stormed the Lagos State House of Assembly with the deceased’s immediate elder sister, Damilola, to protest Bamise’s heinous murder.
Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa, expressed his condolences to the victim’s family and friends, saying he and his colleagues were deeply concerned about the incident.
The Speaker urged Nigerians not to interfere with the investigation by the police, adding that the House would continue to monitor the situation to ensure that justice is served properly.
“It is unnecessary to believe that it will be swept under the rug.” The driver has been apprehended and is being held in custody, according to Obasa.
“We are keeping a close eye on the situation and must ensure that justice is served in this case.” The Governor has spoken about it, and all I want to say is that we need to work together.
The lead counsel to the family, Ayo Ademiluyi, enumerated the demands of the family, saying: “We have forensic evidence to back our testimony. All arrested persons should be tried in a competent court as soon as possible.
“Others are arrest of LSBL Managing Director in the next 24 hours, autopsy report and Corona Inquest to be published as soon as possible and that the Nigeria Police to track the second mobile number of the deceased which is still inactivation.
“Finally, the right to life should be upheld. This matter should not be treated like that of Sylvester Oromoni.”
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