Lagos Police and Lagos Bus Rapid Transit are searching for a BRT driver on whose bus a 22-year-old woman was allegedly abducted.
The Nigerian News Agency (NAN) gathered that the alleged victim, Miss Oluwabamise Ayanwola, works as a fashion designer at Chevron Estate, Ajah, and spends weekends in Ota, Ogun State, with her sister.
He was on his way back to Ota from Ajah on Saturday February 26 when he boarded a BRT bus number 240257 going to Oshodi at around 7 pm at the Chevron bus stop.
Sensing danger as the bus did not pick up any other passengers at subsequent bus stops, Oluwabamise contacted a friend using voice memos on his phone.
Voice notes showed that the bus driver said he liked Oluwabamise and asked for his name and other details.
She told her friend to pray for her when she became suspicious of the bus driver, and in response, the friend told her to get off at the Oworonsoki bus stop, long before the Oshodi bus stop.
Oluwabamise also sent a video to her friend showing how dark it was on the bus, saying, “There are three men and one woman on the bus. The woman is sitting in the back. That’s the bus number just in case. Please pray for me.”
That was the last that was heard of Oluwabamise.
NAN learned that Oluwabamise’s family held a meeting with BRT operators Lagos Bus Service Ltd. (LBSL) on Wednesday, March 2, and the latter assured that efforts were being made to locate the driver.
It was learned that the bus driver had not been seen and the guarantor was nowhere to be found.
Johnson Omilana, a family member who presented himself at the Akinpelu police station, said Oluwabamise had not been seen since leaving Ajah on Saturday.
“We met with the BRT general manager and three other administrative staff who told us that the matter was being shared on social media and that it could jeopardize the police investigation.
“BRT management told us that they were working with the police to make sure the missing girl was rescued.
“Management also told us that they do not employ drivers directly and that the consultants involved are being sanctioned for the incident,” Omilana said.
LBSL Managing Director Mr. Idowu Oguntona did not respond to calls and messages regarding updates on the incident.
However, police spokesman in Lagos state, CSP Adekunle Ajisebutu, confirmed that the incident was under investigation.
“Police Commissioner Abiodun Alabi has ordered that no stone be left unturned in locating his whereabouts. Search parties have also been organized,” Ajisebutu told NAN.