A Lagos-based real estate developer, Olakanmi Ogundele, has raised concerns after a newly employed driver, Olufemi Jogbodo, allegedly disappeared with his Gelly saloon car, registered as AGL 586 GW, barely four days into the job.
Ogundele disclosed on Sunday that the driver, who initially identified himself as Adeleye, was assigned to him by his company’s manager on October 18, following the sudden illness of his former driver.
According to him, Jogbodo accompanied him on a business trip to Ijebu Ode, Ogun State, the same day he was hired, and returned with him to Lagos on October 20.
The suspect reportedly resumed duty as normal the following day and drove him to his office in Ikoyi.
Ogundele said the incident occurred while he was in a meeting.
“I was in a meeting when he told the security personnel that I had sent him on an errand. Because the meeting was ongoing, the security officer couldn’t come in to confirm. That was how he drove off with the car and never returned,” he recounted.
The matter was immediately reported to the tactical team of the Ikoyi Police Division, who began efforts to trace the suspect.
However, Ogundele lamented that the investigation has yielded little progress.
Documents shared with our correspondent showed that the suspect is 44 years old and claimed to reside on Dele Ogunbowale Street, Ikate, Lagos.
Further checks revealed that he operates 11 different bank accounts, raising additional concerns about his activities.
Ogundele added that some of Jogbodo’s relatives were tracked and detained during the investigation.
“We arrested his wife’s sister and one of his cousins, but they had to be released because they had exceeded the permitted detention period. We also traced his 75-year-old mother in Agbado Ijaiye but could not arrest her due to her age,” he explained.
He also confirmed that the manager who recommended the driver was arrested and questioned for failing to verify Jogbodo’s identity.
“The manager admitted he did not carry out proper checks because I was in a hurry to travel. The name and address the driver provided were fake. He introduced himself as Adeleye, but his real name is Olufemi,” Ogundele said.
He added that plans were ongoing to announce a bounty to facilitate the suspect’s arrest and recover the stolen vehicle.
