Lagos, May 2, 2025 — Justice Sherifat Sonaike of the Lagos State High Court, sitting at the Tafawa Balewa Square, has sentenced Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) driver Andrew Nice Ominikoron to death by hanging for the murder of 22-year-old fashion designer, Oluwabamise Ayanwola.
Ominikoron was arraigned on a five-count charge of murder, rape, and sexual assault for the murder of Ayanwola and sexual assault of other victims. The court ruled that the Lagos State Government had been able to prove its case beyond reasonable doubt, applying the doctrine of “last seen” and dying declaration of the victim, to convict Ominikoron.
In her judgment, Justice Sonaike said, “For the murder of Oluwabamise Ayanwola, you will be hanged by the neck until you are dead. May God have mercy on you.”
Ayanwola was reported missing on February 26, 2022, after boarding a BRT bus operated by Ominikoron from Chevron Bus Stop in Ajah to Oshodi. During the trip, she became suspicious because the driver did not pick up any other passengers and sent distress messages to a friend. Her body was discovered days later on Carter Bridge.
The event spurred outrage in the public and led to calls for improved security on public transportation. The Lagos State Government responded by briefly shutting down the operation of BRT and assuring that all BRT buses would be installed with CCTV cameras.
Ominikoron pleaded not guilty to all the counts but was convicted based on evidence adduced by the prosecution, including testimonies of other victims and that of a police officer who narrated the driver’s modus operandi of targeting and assaulting female passengers.
The conviction is a milestone in the pursuit of justice for victims of gender-based violence in Nigeria
