The family of a 34-year-old Uber driver, Thomas Aiyu, has been thrown into a panic after he went missing when he left his residence for work in Lagos State.
PUNCH Metro gathered that Aiyu, on Wednesday, left his residence at No 70 Imole Ayo Street, Command, to commence his business of conveying passengers to their various destinations in the state but never returned home to his family.
Aiyu’s elder brother, Kelly, said when efforts to locate his brother’s whereabouts proved abortive, members of the family raised the alarm, adding that a report was made at the Meiran Police Station.
Kelly said, “My brother stays alone but my mum was spending some time at his place when he went missing. So, we reported first at the Meiran Police Station which covers the area where he lives.
“When we observed that their approach was slow, we went to the Lagos State Police Command where we were told to pay N100.000 to track his numbers. We paid the money four weeks ago and did not receive any news from them.”
Perplexed by the development, Kelly said members of the family also visited the Uber office to get some information to trace his brother’s whereabouts, adding that a representative of the company told them that on the day the 34-year-old went missing, he started a trip from the Fela Shrine area and aborted the journey in the Ojota area of the state.
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The aggrieved brother, however, noted that Aiyu’s car was found in Ojota six days after he went missing, adding that while observing the vehicle, it was discovered that the window at the driver’s side was broken and blood stains were sighted on the seat.
“The vehicle was found six days after he got missing in the Ojota area of Lagos, with the glass of the driver’s side broken and some blood stains on the seat, but there was no evidence of any accident. We are all depressed, especially my mum. Thomas happens to be the last born and he is not married yet,” Kelly said.
A former classmate of Aiyu, John Ogunsemore, described the missing Edo State indigene as a hardworking person and prayed for his safe return to his family.
Ogunsemore said, “His disappearance came as a shock to me and other members of 2006, Lagos Baptist Senior Secondary School, Orile, Agege, Lagos. We hope that he is safe wherever he is, and we hope and pray that the security agencies will expedite action to ensure that he is returned safely to his loved ones.”
The state Police Public Relations Officer, SP Benjamin Hundeyin, confirmed the incident.
He said, “Yes, it was reported. I am aware an investigation has commenced at the State Criminal Investigation Department, Panti, Yaba. Further updates will be provided.”