Olayomi Koiki
The Committee for the Defence of Human Rights (CDHR) has expressed concern over the continued delay in the prosecution of culprits responsible for the brutal murder of 22-year-old fashion designer, Miss Oluwabamise Abigail Ayanwola in Nigeria’s Lagos.
On February 26, 2022, Bamise was allegedly raped and murdered aboard Lagos State’s BRT bus (No. 240257), operated by Lagos Bus Services Ltd., between Ajah and Ebute-Ero on Lagos Island.
Despite the driver Andrew Nice Ominikoron’s arrest and charging in March 2022, justice has not been served.
The Lagos chapter of CDHR slammed the slow pace of the trial, which has seen numerous adjournments, and raised suspicions about the government’s potential involvement.
“Why has the case dragged for over 1,000 days while other similar cases have been concluded in less time?” Lagos CDHR chapter Chairman Comrade Kehinde Adeoye queried in a statement.
The statement further accused the Lagos State judiciary of delaying justice and called for accountability, suggesting that the delay may be due to the fact that the alleged murderer is a Lagos State government employee.
The organisation highlighted the contrast between the protracted Bamise Ayanwola case and two other murder cases that were concluded within months.
It also drew attention to the posthumous recognition given to Bamise for her courage in capturing vital evidence on her phone before her death, earning her a Woman of Courage award in 2022.
CDHR called for international attention, suggesting that the Lagos State Judiciary deserves to be recognized in the Guinness Book of Records for taking more than 1000 days to adjudicate a murder case.
The organisation demands the immediate action from the Lagos State government to ensure justice for Bamise Ayanwola and all those seeking justice in Nigeria.
“If the thinking in some quarters is that the case should be deliberately delayed so that after some time, people would be tired and not taik about it any more or probably forget about it, we wish to inform Lagos State Government (Executive, Legislative and Judiciary) that the more the case is delayed/adjourned unnecessarily, the stronger we become,” the statement said.
“As “the “VOICE OF THE VOICELESS” and DEFENDER OF THE DEFENCELESS , we shall not relent on this matter until JUSTICE is served. We want to remind government once again of the popular legal axiom – JUSTICE DELAYED IS JUSTICE DENIED.
“We remain resolute in our demand: 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.
“That the Android phone belonging to Late Miss Oluwabamise Ayanwola, with which she was communicating with her friend, while she was inside the BRT bus and sensing danger, the information which led to the arrest of the murder suspect, should be produced.
“We still want the authorities to confirm to Nigerians and the whole world if, in actual fact, the murder suspect – the BRT bus driver is actually in prison custody.
“Fellow Compatriots, we also wish to inform the United Nations that the name of Lagos State Judiciary should enter GUINNESS BOOK OF RECORDS as one Judiciary that sat on a murder case for MORE THAN 1,000 DAYS (more than 2 years + 9 months) after the brutal murder of the victim.
“As a result of her bravery in exposing the nefarious acts of evil-minded persons, even in the face of danger and imminent death, by sending video and vital information to her friend using her android phone, Bamise Ayanwola was given a post-humous award of WOMAN OF COURAGE by Committee for the Defence of Human Rights (CDHR), Lagos State Branch on the 11 June, 2022 during our Annual Branch Convention.”