The Lagos State Police Command has arraigned Abiola Odutayo in connection with the death of 32-year-old Adetunji Opayele, co-founder of Bumpa, popularly known as Teejay.
According to a statement by the Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, Benjamin Hundeyin, on X (formerly Twitter) on Saturday, Odutayo was arraigned on March 12, 2025, at Court 1, Tinubu, following her discharge from the hospital.
She is facing charges of reckless and careless driving on a public highway, which resulted in the death of Opayele. The incident, which took place on March 4, 2025, has since sparked public concern.
Over 35,000 Nigerians have signed a petition demanding justice, with many calling for more severe charges, including manslaughter, rather than the reckless driving charge.
Hundeyin added that the court granted Odutayo bail, and the case has been adjourned until April 16, 2025.
The statement said, “We #LagosPoliceNG acknowledge public concerns regarding the tragic accident that claimed the life of Adetunji Opayele (Teejay) on March 4, 2025. We extend our deepest sympathies to his family, friends, and all who have been affected by this loss.
“We can confirm that following a thorough investigation, Abiola Odutayo ‘f’ was arraigned in Court 1, Tinubu on March 12, 2025, after she was discharged from hospital, for driving on a ‘public highway in a reckless and careless manner without due care and attention to other road users and caus[ing] the death of one Tunji Opayele ‘m’ aged 32 and thereby committed an offence…’
“The court granted her bail and adjourned the case till April 16, 2025.
“The Lagos State Police Command remains committed to transparency, fairness, and justice.”
The development followed outrage by Nigerians over the death of Opayele, who died on March 4, 2025, after a collision on Ozumba Mbadiwe, Lagos.
The petition, which had garnered over 30,000 signatures as of reporting, read in part, “After a long day at work on March 4th, Teejay went to the iFitness gym in Victoria Island before heading home on his power bike.
“At about 10:20 pm, as he rode along Ozumba Mbadiwe, Victoria Island, Lagos, he had the right of way when Miss Biola Adams-Odutayo driving a vehicle with licence number LND 418 JR merged onto the expressway without considering approaching traffic, thereby crashing into him.”
“Biola and her friend had just left a restaurant by the expressway where they had dinner. Despite having a driver, she chose to drive herself, while she asked her driver to drive her friend’s car following behind. Though fully equipped with safety gear, Teejay was knocked unconscious, sprawled on the road,” the petition added.
According to the petition, after the crash, Adams-Odutayo refused to step out of her vehicle to check on Opayele.
When the bystanders approached her friend, she allegedly said, “She doesn’t want blood to stain her car.”
As Opayele lay unconscious but still breathing, Adams-Odutayo, a healthcare professional who works at a reputable insurance brokering firm, allegedly stayed on a phone call for over 30 minutes instead of helping save Opayele’s life or even assessing the situation.
Although Opayele was taken to two different hospitals, both refused to admit him.
“Desperate to save his life, the Samaritans returned to the accident scene, placed Teejay in a minibus (known as korope), and forced Adams Odutayo to accompany them, hoping that her presence would prevent further rejections,” the report read.
“She reluctantly followed. The only reason she remained at the accident scene was because bystanders physically prevented her from fleeing especially after she had already arranged for her car to be towed away,” it added.
Shortly after, Opayele’s brother arrived at the scene and met a Samaritan who had held on to his properties. They went to the hospital where Opayele had been taken to, and on arrival, Opayele was declared dead.
According to the organisers, the actions of Adams-Odutayo have thrown the family into a deep sense of grief.
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“The inhumane actions and complete lack of empathy from Biola Adams-Odutayo have forever changed our lives. The family has lost an irreplaceable asset and Nigeria has lost one of its brightest minds,” they said.
They added, “What makes this pain even worse is the shocking behavior of Biola Adams-Odutayo and those around her. After Teejay was declared dead, she walked into the hospital and requested a drip, claiming she was in shock. Then, she attempted to flee.”
After her arrest, she and her family have allegedly boasted of their ‘connections’ and engaged several tactics against Opayele’s grieving family and friends.
The petition noted that Adams-Odutayo indeed made good on those connections, as the Nigerian police charged her with reckless driving only, as if Opayele’s life was worth no more than a traffic violation.
Adams-Odutayo was detained for only one night at the police station, and her whereabouts remained unknown until she was charged to court for mere reckless driving.
Her bail conditions were set at N1 million and two sureties, which she met on the same day.
However, the arraignment of Abiola Odutayo has shifted the case from a simple charge of reckless driving to a potential manslaughter case. While the initial charge seemed to downplay the severity of the incident, public outrage and the details surrounding her actions after the crash have sparked calls for more serious charges.
The case, now adjourned until April 16, 2025, may see further legal developments that could lead to Odutayo facing more severe consequences. The outcome will depend on how the courts assess her level of negligence and the circumstances surrounding Opayele’s death.
