Family cries out as Lagos local government driver goes missing

The family of a driver with Ojokoro Local Council Development Area (LCDA), Ifako, Ijaye, Lagos State, Akintayo Olanrewaju, has raised the alarm over his disappearance, urging authorities to intensify efforts to find him.

Olanrewaju, who works with the council as an official driver, was last seen on Friday morning after leaving home to retrieve a faulty official vehicle from a mechanic, but has not been heard from since.

Several days after his disappearance, the family says there has been little progress in the search.

They expressed worries over what they described as a lack of urgency from both the authorities of the LCDA and the police.

The Senior Pastor of Christ Apostolic Church, Revival Chapel, Abule Egba, Lagos, Pastor Ben Oyebanji, who has been assisting the family, said the incident began on Thursday when the vehicle Olanrewaju drives developed a fault.

Oyebanji said: “I learned that the official vehicle he drives developed a fault, and he contacted the office. 

“The office then asked him to call the official mechanic.

“He called the mechanic on Thursday, and they came to pick up the vehicle from where the mechanic stays.”

According to the cleric, Olanrewaju informed his family on Friday morning that he was going to retrieve the vehicle from the mechanic and return it to the office, but that was the last communication anyone had with him.

He added: “On Friday morning, he told them at home that he was going to the mechanic to retrieve the vehicle so he could take it back to the office. 

“That was the last time he was seen. Since then, nothing has been heard from him.” 

Oyebanji said a major concern of the family remains whether the missing driver actually got to the mechanic’s workshop.

He added: “That is where the lacuna is now. 

“We don’t even know if he got to the workshop.” 

Oyebanji also faulted the response of the LCDA authorities, accusing them of not taking the necessary steps expected in such a situation.

He said: “The local government people are not forthcoming. 

“They are the ones who are supposed to go to the police station and make official complaints, but they left everything to the family. 

“We just left the police station now, and I don’t see them putting enough effort into it, even though they have the power to escalate the matter.”

The cleric said he had to personally accompany the family to the police before an action was taken.

He said: “They made a report earlier, but I was shocked that nothing had been done until I got there this morning. 

“That was when they started talking about reaching out to other stations.”

Oyebanji added that the family had contacted the mechanic, who denied seeing Olanrewaju on the day he went missing.

He said: “The mechanic said he did not see him. 

“He said he only called him to say he was on his way, but told him the vehicle was not ready for pick up.”

However, the cleric said the Personal Assistant to the LCDA Vice Chairman claimed to have spoken with Olanrewaju that same Friday morning.