Operatives of the State Intelligence
Bureau, SIB, Lagos State Police Command,
have arrested a 32-year-old man, Eric
Effiong, for allegedly absconding with a
school bus belonging to Peak Lane
International School, Oremeji, Akute, a
suburb of Lagos.
The rebranded bus and the driver (inset)
Effiong, a father of two, before he
absconded with the school bus worth over
N3.6 million, had worked with them for six
years.
According to a police source at the
command headquarters, the suspect was
arrested following a petition to the
Commissioner of Police, CP Fatai Owoseni,
by the proprietress of the school.
The source said: “On May 27, the
proprietress of Peak Lane International
School, Oremiji Close, Oremiji Estate,
Alagbole Akute, reported that on March 7, a
driver with the school, Eric Effiong,
absconded with one of the buses with
number plates SMK 123 EM.”
The suspect, who relocated from his known
address and switched off his phone, was
finally arrested by SIB operatives, who
tracked him down in Calabar, Cross State.
Before his arrest, Effiong had already
changed the number plate of the bus, re-
branded it with Cross Lines Transportation
Company colours and was operating
Calabar-Uyo routes.
The Commissioner of Police has directed
that he be charged to court for prosecution.
I was broke —Suspect
Speaking to Vanguard , Effiong said: “I was
arrested for stealing a school bus. 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 cause 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.
“The bus was already white. I 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 harassments by
security agents.
“I did that without the knowledge of the
company. Since I was not operating in their
park, it was difficult for them to suspect
me. Apart from that, I only used it for one
week because the front tyres were not
good.
“It is not true that I switched off my phone.
Only one of my colleagues called me the
first day this thing happened. He asked me
where I was. We did not discuss anything.”
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