The Lagos State High Court has sentenced BRT driver Andrew Nice Ominikoron to death by hanging for the 2022 murder of 22-year-old fashion designer, Oluwabamise Ayanwola. The verdict concludes a case that ignited nationwide calls for justice and improved commuter safety.
After more than three years of waiting, justice finally prevailed over the murder of Oluwabamise Ayanwole. The Lagos High Court has sentenced BRT driver Andrew Ominikoron to death for the murder of 22-year-old fashion designer Oluwabamise Ayanwole.
Justice Sherifat Sonaike delivered the verdict on Friday at the Tafawa Balewa Square courthouse. In a powerful ruling that lasted over two hours, the judge held Ominikoron fully responsible for Ayanwole’s death and handed him the maximum penalty under the law, death by hanging. The court found him guilty of murder, attempted rape, rape, and sexual assault, offences that violated multiple sections of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.
The case drew national attention in 2022 when Ayanwole, a young woman with dreams of building a fashion career, disappeared after boarding a Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) bus on the Lekki-Ajah route. Her lifeless body was found days later, sparking protests and demands for accountability in Nigeria’s public transport system.
Ominikoron faced a five-count charge filed by the Lagos State Government, which included conspiracy, rape, attempted rape, sexual assault, and murder. Although the court discharged him on the conspiracy charge due to lack of evidence, it found him guilty on four others.
For the murder of Bamise Ayanwole, the court sentenced him to death by hanging. On the count of attempted rape of the same victim, he received a 14-year prison sentence.
Ominikoron was also found guilty of raping another passenger, Nneka Udezulu, on November 25, 2021. Justice Sonaike of the Lagos judicial division sentenced him to life imprisonment for that offence. In addition, he received a three-year sentence for sexually assaulting Dr. Victoria Anosike on a separate occasion.
A key part of the prosecution’s case was a chilling voice note Ayanwole recorded and sent to a friend from inside the bus. She described feeling unsafe and sensing danger due to the driver’s suspicious behavior. The court admitted this recording as a “dying declaration”, a rare but legally valid piece of evidence in murder trials.
The judge also cited witness accounts and forensic findings to confirm that Ominikoron was the last person seen with Bamise before her death. The evidence, though circumstantial, proved strong enough for a conviction.
The court noted a disturbing pattern in Ominikoron’s behavior. Multiple victims came forward, describing how he used his position as a BRT driver to lure unsuspecting women into isolated areas before sexually assaulting them. Witness testimonies described him as aggressive, threatening, and unapologetic.
Justice Sonaike described Ominikoron as a “serial rapist” who committed these acts within a three-month period. She suggested there could be more victims who have yet to speak up due to fear or shame.
Throughout the trial, the prosecution, led by Dr. Babajide Martins, called nine witnesses. The defence presented only Ominikoron, who claimed innocence and expressed regret over Ayanwole’s death. The judge dismissed his claims, saying his emotional display was an attempt to sway the court.
The court also pointed out that Ominikoron fled to a remote village after the incident and failed to report it to his employers, further proof of a guilty conscience.
“This is an unforgivable crime,” Justice Sonaike said. “There is a need for the government to overhaul the recruitment process for public service drivers. Parents must feel safe when their daughters board public transportation.”
The sentence, death by hanging under Section 223 brings legal closure to a case that gripped Lagos and the nation. For Bamise’s family and other victims, the judgment offers some measure of justice. Ominikoron’s conviction is a call for systemic change in how Nigeria protects women and holds public servants accountable.
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