The family of late Oluwabamishe Ayanwole, the 21-year-old lady allegedly murdered after boarding a Bus Rapid Transit vehicle, on Tuesday staged a peaceful protest to the Lagos State House of Assembly.
Leading the protesters, Lead Counsel to the family, Ayo Ademiluyi, said the protest was to demand for justice for Ayanwole.
The News Agency of Nigeria recalls that Ayanwole, the young lady who was declared missing after boarding a BRT bus in Lagos, was found dead at the Ebute Ero area of Lagos Island.
The 21-year-old was allegedly abducted by a driver of the Lagos Bus Services Limited after she boarded an LBSL bus, popularly known as BRT, at the Chevron area of Lekki en route Oshodi on February 26.
Ademiluyi told the lawmakers that the family was at the assembly to register their demand to the house and also demand that the Lagos State Government should institute an inquest into the death of Ayanwole.
He said: “We are demanding that the Chief Pathologist of the state, Prof. John Obafunwa, should conduct a forensic autopsy on the deceased.
“The family also wants the machinery of justice to be moved to the autopsy.
“We want Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to address a state broadcast assuring residents of safety.
“This is because as we speak, the BRT bus operations has been shutdown indefinitely.”
The lawyer said those that had murdered Ayanwole should speak no more.
Addressing the protesters, Speaker of the House, Mudashiru Obasa, who led other lawmakers to condole with the family, assured them that the assembly would ensure the case was not swept under the carpet.
The Speaker described the death of the deceased as an unfortunate incident that should not have happened.
Obasa said: “We are monitoring the case at the assembly and we are happy that the police is ready investigating to unravel the cause of her death.
“However, this is not the case that will not be swept under the carpet and we are monitoring the case and we will ensure that justice is served accordingly.”
The Speaker noted that since the driver of the BRT bus had been arrested, calling for arrest of the General Manager of the BRT was unnecessary because the police must have justification to make any arrest.
Obasa said the police cannot conclude that the driver was culpable until investigations were concluded.