Metro

Bamise: Outrage As New Victim Says Arrested Lagos BRT Driver Raped Her Inside Bus

Published

4 years ago

March 11, 2022

Many Nigerians have expressed anger after a grisly revelation that Nice (Andrew) Omininikoron, the driver of the Bus Rapid Transit vehicle arrested in connection with the brutal murder of a passenger, Oluwabamise Ayanwola, had in the past allegedly raped another lady.

Nigerians registered their displeasure on various social media platforms and called for an urgent prosecution of the driver, in the interest of justice.

They also urged other female passengers to speak up on their encounters with the BRT drivers in Lagos State.

There have been calls for justice for Bamise, whose corpse was recovered at Ebute Ero, after she was last seen on the BRT bus driven by Omininikoron.

Narrating her ordeal to The PUNCH on Thursday, the lady accused the 47-year-old of raping her in the BRT bus.

The female victim accused Omininikoron of raping her on November 25, 2021, sharing a similar narrative with Bamise’s saga.

The former salesgirl at a shop in Ajah said after she closed from work around 8 pm, she boarded the BRT bus driven by the suspect.

The driver was to convey her from the Alesh Bus Stop in Ajah, to Jakande, along the Lekki-Epe Expressway, when things took another dimension.

The victim said she could not call for help because Omininikoron parked the bus at a desolate location, adding that he refused to let her go after allegedly raping her.

She also claimed that Nice threatened to stab her.

A statement of account provided by the victim confirmed Omininikoron sent N3,000 to her on November 25, 2021.

A video clip of her torn clothes was also seen by our correspondent.

THE REACTIONS:

Anabel Phill: Thank you for sharing your bitter experience with the BRT driver Omininikoron. You have given voice to his last victim who unfortunately did not survive his attack and many other victims out there who can’t speak out. I pray justice is served.

Abiodun Komolafe: This man should be made a scapegoat to serve as deterrence to others. I’m very sure he is not the only one. People are just too wicked. Imagine the BRT is not safe again.

Adeleke Adentan: The driver’s cup is just full. This was not the first time he and his gang had been doing this and finally, they presumably are working for some big people. Just check out his confidence, someone that is supposed to have been beaten to stupor. I am very angry in my soul whenever I hear this driver talking. He knows the other men, no doubt.

Desire Onyido: It is obvious he has been doing this for a long time. People will just go missing and family will cry and suffer in silence. If Bamise hadn’t left any clue, she would have been declared missing and just like that…!

Maarufat Busari: Another lady also had a closer experience with him at the Oshodi BRT bus stop, she only didn’t become a victim because she was waiting for her husband to pick her up, and didn’t board his bus, as he was luring her to, because it was late at night.

Itunu Adedokun: Your sins have found you out, every day for the thief, one day for the owner. You can’t escape judgement, I hope your punishment serves as a deterrence to others.

Ajibola Williams: I really can’t blame you for not coming out on time, the shame and the injustice in our society are beyond measure. May God grant you comfort, I wish you had that courage all this while to expose this evil man, maybe the victim wouldn’t have died of the same tragedy.

Nina Elumelu: His time is up in the spirit and in the physical; even if he is bailed or freed, he remains a haunted man till his last days. As for the benefactors and paymasters of this driver’s bountiful crimes, it is a loss all the way for you people.

Your evil ambitions shall be cut super-short. Are there no women and very old elders in Bamise’s community? You people don’t know what to do to stir heaven and earth for justice and vengeance? How long before we can all say is enough?

Johnson Tunde: So he has been doing this for a longer time, it was Bamise’s spirit that caught up with him. He should be taken to a psychiatrist to check on him to know the punishment he deserves.

Metro

Nigerian Army Suspends Statutory, Voluntary Retirement For Specific Officers

Published

19 hours ago

December 7, 2025

Editor

The Nigerian Army has announced the indefinite suspension of all statutory and voluntary retirements for specific categories of officers.

According to an internal memo dated 3 December 2025, signed by Major General E. I. Okoro on behalf of the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, this is in response to the nationwide security emergency declared by President Bola Tinubu.

Okoro explained that the measure is intended to preserve manpower, expertise, and operational readiness while the Armed Forces rapidly expand to tackle the escalating insecurity across Nigeria.

Citing the Harmonised Terms and Conditions of Service for Officers (HTACOS) 2024, the document pointed out that officers normally retire upon reaching the prescribed age for their rank, completing 35 years of service, or after repeated failures in promotion or conversion processes.

However, Paragraph 3.10(e) permits service extensions when it is in the interest of the military.

“Military service of a commissioned officer entails a period of unbroken service in the AFN from the date of enlistment or commissioning to the date of retirement. The period of service is determined by conditions enshrined in the HTACOS Officers 2024. These include attainment of age ceilings on various ranks, 35 years maximum length of service, and other criteria provided in Paragraphs 11.02(d) and 17.15, among extant regulations,” the memo partly read.

“Notwithstanding these provisions, Chapter 3.10(e) of HTACOS Officers 2024 allows for extension of service to officers in the interest of the service.

“The President and Commander-in-Chief declared a nationwide security emergency on November 26, mandating the expansion of the AFN and other security agencies. In line with this, and to rapidly expand manpower, it has become expedient to temporarily suspend all statutory and voluntary retirements from the Nigerian Army with immediate effect.”

According to the memo, the suspension affects Army officers in the following categories: Those who have failed promotion examinations three times, those passed over for promotion three times, those who have reached the age ceiling for their current rank, those who have failed conversion boards three times and those who have completed 35 years of service.

It explained that affected officers who wish to remain in service may apply for an extension beyond their original retirement dates.

However, the memo clarified that: “Officers in these categories who are not interested in extension of service are to continue with the normal retirement procedure. Officers desirous of extension should note that upon extension, they are not eligible for career progression, including promotion, career courses, NA sponsorship, self-sponsored courses, secondment, or extra-regimental appointments.”

Metro

NDLEA Seizes 7.6m Tramadol Pills, 76,273kg Cannabis In Nationwide Raids

Published

20 hours ago

December 7, 2025

Editor

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency has announced the seizure of more than 7.6 million tramadol pills and 76,273 kilograms of cannabis strains in coordinated operations across several states, with multiple suspects arrested.

According to a statement issued on Sunday by the Agency’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, the seizures were made during intelligence-led raids between 1 and 6 December.

In Delta State, operatives recovered 3,874,000 tramadol pills and 252.2 litres of codeine syrup from a warehouse at Oko market, Asaba. In Imo State, 1.2 million tramadol tablets were intercepted from a vehicle driven by 35-year-old Kelechi Nwakocha along the Onitsha-Owerri road.

In Adamawa, officers stopped a Toyota Hiace bus travelling from Jos to Mubi with 1,577,112 capsules of tramadol and exol-5 tablets concealed in jumbo bags mixed with footwear. Two suspects, Kabiru Buba, 25, and Hamza Abubakar, 32, were arrested. Another suspect, Mudansir Rabiu, 27, was apprehended in Kano with 197,000 exol-5 pills.

In Ekiti, NDLEA destroyed 14,654 kilograms of skunk in Omuo forest and 54,300 kilograms in warehouses at Asin-Ekiti, Ikole Local Government Area. Two suspects were arrested in connection with the operations. In Ondo, 5,442 kilograms of skunk were seized in Igoba forest, Akure North, with five suspects taken into custody.

Further arrests were made in Niger State, where 500 kilograms of skunk were recovered from a van along Mokwa-Jebba road, and in Abuja, where 22 kilograms of synthetic cannabis known as Colorado were intercepted at Abaji expressway. A follow-up operation at Jabi park led to the arrest of a female receiver, Ali Blessing, 33. Another suspect, Aliyu Usman, 39, was arrested with 24 kilograms of skunk and 573,500 exol-5 pills along Kwali-Gwagwalada expressway.

In Lagos, 113 kilograms of Canadian Loud were recovered from Ezenwa Udoka at Ladipo market, while Izuchukwu Usulor was arrested with 351 kilograms of skunk in Onipanu. Susan Okoro was also arrested with 104.1 kilograms at Trade Fair complex, Ojo. In Edo, 447.5 kilograms of skunk were seized from two vehicles in Agho forest, Akoko Edo, and 315.8 kilograms were recovered from a warehouse in Isiefve community, Ohuwunde Local Government Area.

The Agency confirmed that sensitisation activities under its War Against Drug Abuse initiative continued during the week in schools, worship centres and communities across Kano, Benue and Rivers States.

Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brigadier General Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), commended the officers involved.

“Their operational successes and those of their compatriots across the country, especially their balanced approach to drug supply reduction and drug demand reduction efforts, are well appreciated,” he said.
The Agency stated that investigations are ongoing and suspects will be prosecuted accordingly.