Seven days after 22-year-old Oluwabamise Ayanwola got missing after boarding a BRT bus going to Oshodi around 7 pm at Chevron Bus Stop in Ajah area of Lagos, there is no sign of her.
Oluwabamise who usually spends the weekends at Ota, Ogun State, works as a fashion designer at Chevron Estate in Ajah.
It was learnt that she got missing while returning to Ota from Ajah on Saturday, February 26 when she boarded a BRT bus with number 240257 going to Oshodi at about 7 p.m. at Chevron Bus-Stop.
Sensing danger while in the bus as the bus did not pick any other passenger at subsequent bus stops she engaged a friend using voice notes on her phone
The voice notes showed that the bus driver said he liked Oluwabamise and asked for her name and other details.
She told her friend to pray for her as she became suspicious of the bus driver and in response, the friend told her to alight at Oworonsoki bus stop -before Oshodi bus stop.
Oluwabamise also sent a video to her friend showing how dark it was in the bus and said, “There are three men and one woman in the bus. The woman is sitting at the back. That’s the number of the bus in case. Please pray for me.’’
That was the last words heard from Oluwabamise, according to the mother who cried for help from Nigerians in a viral video.
“Nigerians should help me. I want to see my daughter alive,” she said in the video.
A family member, Mr Johnson Omilana, said Oluwabamise had not been seen since she left Ajah on Saturday.
“We met with the BRT general manager and about three other management staff who told us that the matter was being shared on social media and that might jeopardise police investigation,” he said.
“The BRT management told us that they were working with the police to make sure the missing girl is rescued.
“The management also told us that they do not employ drivers directly and that the consultants involved are being sanctioned because of the incident.’’
When contacted, police spokesman in Lagos State, Adekunle Ajisebutu, confirmed that the incident was under investigation.
“The Commissioner of Police, Abiodun Alabi, has directed that no stone should be left unturned to locate her whereabouts. Search parties have also been organised,’’ Ajisebutu told NAN
Meanwhile, the Lagos Bus Rapid Transit have intensified the search for the BRT driver in whose bus she allegedly got missing.
It was learnt that Oluwabamise’s family held a meeting with the Lagos Bus Service Ltd. (LBSL), operators of BRT on Wednesday with the latter assuring that efforts were being made to track down the driver.