Driver Dies In Bus Park Over Alleged 'Debt Burden'

 

There was confusion at the Ojodu Berger Motor Park area of Lagos on Wednesday after drivers and passengers found a commercial driver dead inside his bus. It was learnt that the deceased, only known by a nickname, Big Daddy, had slept overnight inside the bus, only to be found dead on Wednesday. Our correspondent learnt that the driver, who hailed from Odogbolu, Ogun State, lived in the Ikorodu area of Lagos with his family.

It was gathered that the matter was reported to the Ojodu Abiodun Police Division which later sent officers to remove the corpse. When Punch Metro got to the park, a member of the executive of the National Union of Road Transport Workers, who declined to be named, said the driver might have been killed by depression resulting from a debt burden. He said, "It is not the first time that commercial drivers would sleep overnight in their buses in this park, especially those who come from distant places like Ikorodu, Lagos Island and so on. Big Daddy plied daily between the Ojodu Berger and Oshodi areas.

 

"When he finished work at about 10 pm, he complained that he was feeling very weak. He bought a bag of sachet water and emptied them on his body. It was just this morning that I was called on the phone that he died inside his bus. "The only thing I know is that he had a debt on his neck. He was paying back the money he borrowed to purchase the bus in installments. The bus recently developed faults. His wife and only son, Sunday, stay in Ikorodu, and have been informed about his death."

 

A driver in the park, who gave his name simply as Babatunde, added that the radio which the deceased was listening to still blared when he was found dead. He said, "We switched off the radio. I have never seen such a strange death. His first wife died about nine months ago, and he recently remarried. He died while sleeping on the steering. He was wearing only his underwear. He was a gentleman. It was shocking he died suddenly like that."

 

Punch Metro observed as drivers, food sellers and workers in the park discussed the incident with one another. The Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Kenneth Nwosu, said he would get back to our correspondent on the matter. He, however, had yet to do so as of press time.

Punch.