The governor said the cameras need a lot of configuration before they can function.
Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos on Tuesday reacted to public concerns about the absence of a Closed-Circuit Television (CCTV) camera in the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) boarded by Bamise Ayanwola, before she was murdered.
Ms Ayanwola, 22, got missing while returning to Ota from Ajah on February 26 when she boarded a BRT bus with number 240257 going to Oshodi at about 7 p.m. at Chevron Bus-Stop. Her body was discovered some days later.
Shortly after the news of her disappearance and death came to the fore, many social media users have raised concerns about safety measures for commuters patronising the BRT.
Speaking to the press at the Mobolaji Johnson Arena in Onikan to commemorate International Women’s Day, the governor said the buses procured abroad about two and a half years ago have inbuilt cameras and trackers, for their operations.
“However, the additional ones that we bought locally last year are the ones we have not installed CCTV cameras because you need to do a lot of configuration before you can do CCTV cameras in them, so we are speaking with the manufacturers,” Mr Sanwo-Olu said.
“I don’t need to mention names but they were purchased locally. That is the unfortunate one this particular incident happened.”
Warning
The governor warned members of the public not to board BRT after the close of bus services in the evening.
While in the BRT, Ms Ayanwola had sent a short video to her friend of how dark the BRT was.
He said that buses that have closed for the day would indicate by switching off their inner lights.
“At the time when this driver closes and they switch off the light, they are meant to drive back into their yards, let me repeat myself, they are meant to drive back empty into their yard,” he said
“Any bus that is still in service will certainly not have his light off and so that itself is something the citizens need to be aware of.
“That once the light of a bus has fully off, once the radar is not showing where it is going to, people should desist from entering it because the conductor would have been out of it, the checkers would have been out of it, it is only the driver that is taking the bus to the terminal.”
‘Cover up’
Mr Sanwo-Olu described those accusing his government as “low minds and have no conscience.”
“I have seen several narratives and write-ups about it. Some people are being extremely sensational, posting and saying that the Lagos State Government wants to cover something; even my person wants to cover something,” he said.
“I think people trivialise life and make it look at everything as if they want to score a cheap point. I think this message should go to people like that — they are of low minds and have no conscience.”
However, the governor expressed confidence in the competence of the Nigerian police to bring the matter to a conclusion.
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