#JusticeForBamise: BRT Vehicle Used Locally Built, Lacks Inbuilt Camera

The Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has disclosed that the Bus Rapid Transit Vehicle boarded by the deceased 22-year-old lady, Oluwabamishe Ayanwole, was locally supplied and has no inbuilt camera.

The PUNCH had reported that Oluwabamise, who closed from work around 7 pm on February 26, was on her way to visit her brother, Pelumi, when she boarded the BRT vehicle around Chevron Bus-stop, in the Lekki area of the state.

The 22-year-old was, however, “killed” inside the BRT vehicle, while the Lagos State Police Command had been working to unravel the mystery behind her death. Also, the BRT driver, Omininikoron Nice, has been arrested and in police custody.

However, Sanwo-Olu, while assuring residents of the state that investigation was ongoing, explained that the particular bus boarded by Bamise had no inbuilt camera.

The governor stated this while briefing journalists on Tuesday at the Mobolaji Johnson Arena in Onikan to commemorate International Women’s Day.

He noted while the buses procured for BRT from abroad had short-circuit cameras, those locally supplied to boost the transport operation do not come with inbuilt cameras.
“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 particular bus in which the slain victim rode was one of the buses locally supplied,” a statement signed by Sanwo-Olu’s spokesman, Gboyega Akosile, read.

Furthermore, Sanwo-Olu promised that safety measures on government-owned buses would be improved upon in order to prevent the 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 their 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.

“Any bus that has its inner lights on at night is certainly still on service. Once the lights are off and the radar in the bus is not displaying, people should desist from boarding such bus, because it is no longer in service at that period. By that time, the checker and conductor would have been out of the bus, except the driver who is expected to take the empty bus back to their yards,” the governor said.