Bamise’s death was agonizing, her private part was cut while she was still alive, says sister of lady murdered on Lagos BRT
Damilola Titilayo Ayanwola, elder sister of the murdered lady on Lagos BRT, Bamise Ayanwola, has revealed how she died in pain.
Countering the claim made by Lagos State Police Command, Damilola narrated that the private part of Bamise was cut while she was still alive.
She spoke at a press conference on Tuesday at Ikeja.
Damilola disclosed an elder sister to Bamise who is pregnant, Elizabeth, who has been hospitalized.
Bamise, a fashion designer, was found dead on Monday — nine days after she was declared missing after she boarded a Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) vehicle.
The Lagos State Government on Tuesday suspended BRT operations as a precaution after intelligence on “planned attacks” by persons yet to be identified.
The Gani Fawehinmi Park, Ojota, Lagos, was heavily guarded by armed security men – officers of the Nigeria Police Force, the Nigerian Army, Department of State Services (DSS) – over proposed protest to demand justice for slain Bamise.
But sympathizers in their numbers besieged Bamise’s residence to condole with the family.
They carried placards with inscriptions, “We want Justice for Bamise”, “Do not sweep under the carpet, we want Justice.”
They called on Lagos State Governor Sanwo-Olu and the Commissioner of Police to ensure justice is served.
Some activists also stormed the Lagos State House of Assembly with the immediate elder sister of the deceased, Damilola to lament the gruesome murder of Bamise.
Narrating Bamise’s last moments, Damilola said, “Governor Sanwo-Olu, I am challenging you. My family is not wealthy, we are not influential but we have God. We work hard and struggle to survive. We are content with what we have. We are Christians to the core. Why has our last born been used for the things of the world? This is a money ritual case.
“They made her (Bamise) suffer, they removed her private part. They did not kill her o, she suffered the pain and hell on earth before she moved to her destination.
“They forced her to stop at the bus stop she was not supposed to stop.”
Describing the late Bamise, she said: “Bamise was patient, joyful person, she makes everyone happy in the family”.
“He (driver) said all these that it was an attack, why didn’t he report to their terminal that there was an attack? He didn’t report to the police station or his superiors.
“He now resumed back to work on Monday, please if this was an attack, why was he able to resume back to work on Monday?
Driver narrates how 22-yr old Oluwabamise was killed in BRT
Oluwabamise Ayanwole: Police arrest Lagos BRT driver over the murder of 22-year-old fashion designer
“We met a man at the park who said Bamise had gone to enjoy herself that she will call us and that she does not want to call now, because she was enjoying herself, while in pains where they were cutting her private part.
“They did not kill her before they cut her private part. My sister experienced a hell-in-cell situation like that of wrestling before her last breath on earth.
“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.”
The distraught mother, Comfort, who spoke with The Nation, said “All I want is justice which must be the truth and not anything that will cause those at the helm of affairs to tamper with the truth.
“I’m from Otun Ekiti, I call on the Ekiti State government to help us. Bamise is a prominent daughter of Ekiti. Please Lagos State and Ekiti State governments should collaborate and come together, I don’t have anyone except God.
“If not for God that had said that her (Bamise’s) time is upon earth, the handset she had before her demise was a new one because the one she was using was faulty.”
Friends and sympathizers have declared a protest to hold on Tuesday, March 8, over Bamise Ayanwole’s murder.
The protest tagged ‘Justice for Bamise’ has been slated for this morning beginning from Gani Fawehinmi Park, Ojota, Lagos.
An aspirant for the Lagos Central Senatorial District, Victoria Olubanke Oniru had, on Monday night, joined others to call for peaceful protest to demand justice for Bamise.
“Bamise must get the justice she truly deserves, her death must not be in vain,” Victoria posted while sharing a flyer containing details of the peaceful protest.
In a chat with our correspondent, Victoria said, “Right now, I’m petrified.
“That young vibrant lady shouldn’t have died. Her instincts told her something was wrong.
“She made enough awareness and nothing was done. Our system failed her.