Driver Arrested For Stealing And Re-Painting School Bus For Public Transport

Photo Credit: Vanguard

The Lagos State command of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) has announced the arrest of a Lagos school driver for allegedly stealing a school bus and re-branding it for commercial transportation use.

The 32-year-old suspect, Eric Effiong, who was arrested by operatives of the State Intelligence Bureau (SIB) of the Lagos police command following a petition from the management of Peak Lane International School in Oremeji, Akute, a suburb of Lagos, absconded with the school bus worth over N3.6 million on March 7 .

The school in its petition to the police claimed that Effiong, a father of two, absconded with the bus despite working with the school for 6 years.

A police source revealed that Effiong was tracked down to Calabar in Cross River State where it was discovered that he had changed the number plate of the bus and re-branded it with Cross Lines Transportation Company colours, plying the Calabar-Uyo route.

While speaking to newsmen, Effiong admitted to committing the alleged offence but attributed his action to frustration.

He said;

“I was going to drop a passenger when they came down from a taxi and told me I was under arrest. I really feel bad that this thing happened to me. I just pray my boss would forgive me,”  

“While on official duty earlier this year, I hit a child of about one year and broke his leg. I spent over N200,000 to treat the baby. 

“When I ran out of cash I began to sell my items to raise money. In the course of that, my rent expired and my salary was N54,000. Because the school doesn’t give loan, I became frustrated. I did not know what to do and decided to abscond with the bus. 

“When I got home with the bus, my parents asked how I came about it. I did not tell them anything.

According to Vanguard, Effiong denied repainting the bus and claimed that he “only branded it with Cross Lines Transportation Company because of the police on the road. It is safer operating under a brand name because it shields one from unnecessary arrests and harassment by security agents.”