The Take It Back Movement, Lagos State Chapter, has reignited public concern over the Lagos State Government’s failure to fulfil its promises to the family of the late Oluwabamise Ayonwola, the young woman who was raped and murdered inside a state-operated Bus Rapid Transit, (BRT) vehicle in 2022.
In a statement posted today on his social media handles, Adekunle Adeyemi Taofeeq, the Take It Back Movement’s Lagos State Coordinator, revealed that the deceased’s sister sent him a clip and pictures from Bamise’s posthumous birthday memorial held earlier today at the Atan Cemetery vault.
Expressing deep sorrow, Taofeeq wrote: “Happy posthumous birthday, BAMISE. May your soul continue to rest in peace.”
He added that the family had reached out again, lamenting that the Lagos State Government, under the leadership of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has still not fulfilled the promises made to ease their pain and wipe the tears of Bamise’s parents, despite earlier assurances following nationwide outrage over her death.
Taofeeq questioned the administration’s priorities, saying:
“If the Lagos State Government can give an ambassadorial appointment to Mandykiss, then why is it difficult to compensate the parents of Bamise, a young woman who was raped and gruesomely murdered inside a BRT bus operated by the state?”
He insisted that justice for Bamise transcends prosecuting those responsible for her death, stressing that the government must honour its commitments.
“Justice is not complete until the government honours its promise and stands firmly with the family of the young woman murdered in their own state-run bus,” he declared.
Oluwabamise Ayonwola, popularly known as Bamise, went missing in February 2022 after boarding a Lagos Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) vehicle.
Her disappearance drew nationwide attention when her lifeless body was later discovered, sparking widespread outrage over passenger safety within the state’s transport system.
The incident dominated media headlines as Nigerians demanded accountability. The case was extensively covered, and that led to the temporary suspension of BRT operations in Lagos at the height of public anger.
In May 2025, justice took a decisive turn when the BRT driver was convicted and sentenced to death. The judgment was delivered on the strength of circumstantial evidence, which included voice notes Bamise recorded before her death and testimonies revealing a pattern of assault against passengers.
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