Ekeomah Atuonwu
Nigeria’s social media users have been outraged by the kidnap and eventual killing of Bamise Ayanwola who boarded a Lagos State Government owned vehicle popularly called BRT on February 26, 2022.
It was gathered that Bamise’s corpse was found on March 7, 2022 dumped by the roadside on Lagos Island with some vital organs missing.
An unidentified man reportedly informed officials of Ebute Ero Police Station on Saturday evening. The corpse was later taken to the Mainland Hospital mortuary.
Bamise’s case went viral after her mother in a video called on the government to help save her daughter.
She had boarded a BRT bus with number 240257 at Chevron Bus stop en route Oshodi when she sensed danger and asked her friends to pray for her.
She sent a video speaking in Yoruba language explaining how suspicious she was of the vehicle she entered and asked her friends to pray for her and that was the last she was heard of. It was also gathered that the driver did not stop to pick up any passengers further.
See video below:
Developing reports reaching us indicate that the driver has been found and arrested after being on the run since the information of Bamishe’s disappearance.
Lagos residents demanding justice for Bamise called on the governor of Lagos state Sanwo-Olu to take charge of the case.
Lamenting the increasing level of insecurity in the state, Nigerians wondered what form of transport is safe if a citizen can be kidnapped in a government-owned transport.
Here is the video on the mother’s agony:
A FAILED GOVERNMENT
There was no light in the bus showing clearly the poor maintenance of the bus. The questions on everyone’s lips are: “If turning off the light of the bus was a ploy by the driver for a kidnap, should there not have been a signal at the control room that the bus was going against the rules”?
“If the bus left the terminus for a particular destination and eventually re-routed, should there not have a tracker to indicate this, and possibly stop the bus, thus alerting police officials of a possible danger?” “If these facilities are not in place, what is the money realized from the fare used for if maintenance and safety is porous?”
The Lagos state government has failed in its duty to protect its citizens as every government driver ought to have been profiled with an accurate database and a security camera planted in each vehicle.
Recall in 2020 during the #ENDSARS protest that went viral globally, the BRT buses were used to convey thugs to scenes of peaceful protests to hijack the protest. This clearly shows the level of lawlessness and decadence in the government where government property can be used to break the law and order at will.
With issues as this, the Nigerian citizens have lost hope in its government. If a government owned bus can be used for kidnap how safe are other private owned commercial vehicles?
As the police begin their investigation on the case, we can only hope that indeed there would eventually be #justiceforbamishe.
#JUSTICEFORBAMISE
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