A Federal High Court in Lagos has sentenced Andrew Ominikoron, a Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) driver, to death by hanging for the murder of 22-year-old fashion designer, Bamise Ayanwola.

The case drew national attention in 2022 when Bamise went missing after boarding a BRT bus operated by Ominikoron. Her body was later found, prompting widespread outrage, protests, and calls for justice.

Delivering judgment, Justice Serifat Sonaike ruled that the prosecution had proven its case beyond reasonable doubt, establishing that Ominikoron was responsible for the brutal crime. She described the evidence as compelling and upheld the death penalty as the appropriate sentence.

The defendant failed to rebut the overwhelming evidence against him. The court, therefore, finds him guilty as charged, Justice Sonaike declared.

The ruling has been met with widespread public approval, with many Nigerians expressing a sense of justice and closure over a case that had become a symbol of public safety concerns, especially for women.

Bamise’s death had sparked national conversations on women’s safety, public transportation reforms, and accountability among transit authorities.