The Lagos State Police Command has launched an investigation into an allegation of robbery made by a passenger, Mercy Agbonghae, against an InDrive driver, James Oluwatoyin Ogunsanwo.
Agbonghae, in a viral post on X (formerly Twitter) on October 15, 2025, which has garnered over five million impressions, accused Ogunsanwo of robbing her during a trip booked through the ride-hailing platform.
She wrote: “If you order a ride and you see him, please cancel. He’ll pretend something is wrong with his car and park so his gang can rob you. All of his door handles, except the driver’s side, are broken.
“You can’t get out. I literally had to climb out through the driver’s side while he was pretending to fix the light and was on a call.”
Reacting to the allegation, Ogunsanwo denied any wrongdoing and gave a detailed account of the incident.
According to him, “She booked a ride from Bode Thomas, Surulere, to Mafoluku, Oshodi. While we were on the express, the car’s lights went off, so I turned into the service lane to fix the issue.
“I called my rewire, who guided me on what to do. While I was fixing the light, some street urchins approached and demanded money.”
Ogunsanwo said the lady and her friend got out of the vehicle during the episode.
“They initially asked for ₦20,000, but after negotiation, they collected ₦8,000,” he said.
“I later dropped her friend in Oshodi and her in Mafoluku. She transferred ₦4,000 for the trip, and we parted peacefully.”
He added that InDrive later contacted him for clarification but suspended his account afterward. “They blocked my account after I explained everything. I could no longer work. I need justice,” he lamented.
In response, InDrive stated via its official X handle that it had reviewed the case and found no inconsistencies in the driver’s version but was still trying to reach the passenger.
“We’ve reviewed the case and found no inconsistencies in the driver’s version. The review continues as we’re still trying to reach the passenger. We remain committed to ensuring fairness and safety for everyone,” the company said.
Confirming the development, the spokesperson for the Lagos State Police Command, SP Abimbola Adebisi, said the police were aware of the viral post and had invited both parties for questioning.
“The Lagos State Police Command is aware of the widely circulated post and is inviting the concerned parties to come forward. The parties may reach out to me via call or WhatsApp on 09055390070 for a direct link-up,” Adebisi said.
Meanwhile, the controversy has drawn significant public attention online, with many Nigerians contributing money to support the driver and calling on InDrive to reinstate his account.
One user, Ayo Salako, wrote: “If you don’t give that man his job back, I’ll lead a one-week campaign against your brand. It doesn’t matter that I’m not in Nigeria—I’ll protest in front of every train station in Paris.”
Social commentator, Wisdom Obi-Dickson, also weighed in, criticising InDrive’s decision to suspend the driver before investigations were concluded.
“We need to stop suspending people over allegations before the facts are established. The constitution presumes innocence until proven guilty. Suspension before investigation is punishment without due process,” he said.
As of press time, the police said the investigation was ongoing.
guardian.ng
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