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By Lukman Olabiyi
Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has said the circumstances surrounding the alleged disappearance and death of 22-year-old Miss Oluwabamishe Ayanwole, while in transit on a BRT bus, would be fully unravelled, stressing that stiff punishment awaits anyone found culpable in what he described as a “criminal and dastardly act”.
Sanwo-Olu said the state government remained determined to pursue the matter transparently and to a logical conclusion, but cautioned those making attempts to twist the issue with unfounded insinuations and conjectures to desist from making comments that may preempt the outcome of investigation being conducted by security agencies.
Sanwo-Olu, who spoke to reporters during an event held to commemorate International Women’s Day, said: “There is an investigation that is currently going on, and because it is a criminal matter, only the police are empowered constitutionally to fully unravel all the events that happened, which led to the death of the lady. The development has been condemned at the highest level of the government. I personally stand to condemn it and offer condolences to the family of our citizen, Oluwabamishe.
“I have read some narratives and write-ups in social media in the last few hours. Some people are deliberately and extremely sensational, posting that Lagos State Government wants to cover something; even my person. These people trivialise life, which appears to me like they just want to score a cheap point. These people are of low minds and have no conscience.
“Our government will certainly not be deterred with such wicked narratives. What we are about is to ensure that we transparently get to the roots of the matter. That is why the police and the Department of State Service (DSS) picked up the driver, who ran to another State, where he was arrested. Full wrath of the law will be applied on whoever is found wanting in this matter. And we will ensure the incident does not repeat itself.”
The governor also reacted to some of the concerns raised by the public on safety measures put in place before the incident, especially on absence of short-circuit cameras in BRT buses.
He said there were inbuilt cameras and trackers in buses procured abroad for BRT operations. “But those acquired locally to shore up the BRT fleet did not have cameras,” the governor said, pointing out that the particular bus in which the slain victim rode was one of the buses locally supplied.
The governor promised that safety measures on government-owned buses would be improved upon, in order to prevent re-occurrence of similar incidents. He, however, cautioned members of the public not to board BRT buses after the close of bus services in the evening, noting that buses that have closed for the day would indicate by switching off its inner lights.
When BRT drivers switch off their inner lights, Sanwo-Olu said, the buses were expected to be taken back empty to their yards.
