A Lagos-based developer, Olakanmi Ogundele, has reported a case of grand theft after his newly hired driver, Olufemi Jogbodo, allegedly fled with his Gelly Saloon vehicle (license plate AGL586GW) just four days after resuming work.
The driver, who provided a false name upon hiring, absconded with the car from the employer’s office premises in Ikoyi, Lagos, after deceiving security personnel. The victim has reported the case to the police, who have since arrested and interrogated the manager responsible for sourcing the driver.
The driver was hired on October 18 to replace the employer’s sick permanent driver. He accompanied Ogundele on a trip to Ijebu Ode and returned on October 20. The theft occurred on October 21 while Ogundele was in a meeting at his Ikoyi office. The driver told security he was sent on an errand by the employer and fled with the vehicle.
The employer revealed that the manager responsible for hiring the driver failed to conduct proper verification, as the driver used a false name, Adeleye, when employed, while his real name was discovered to be Olufemi Jogbodo;
The manager did not do his due diligence by confirming the identity and address of the driver. Everything he gave was fake
Subsequent police investigation revealed the suspect is 44 years old, is a resident of the Ikate area of Lagos, and operates 11 different bank accounts.
Similarly in August, the Lagos State Police Command reported smashing a syndicate that recruited criminally-minded drivers to steal employers’ cars after brief employment periods, often taking the vehicles across Nigeria’s borders.
This incident serves as a warning to residents and businesses nationwide, regarding the need for a critical and verifiable background checks when hiring service personnel, to prevent falling victim to any theft syndicates.
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