Abuja Driver Abandons Employer’s Sick Mother in Hospital, Flees with Car

A driver in Abuja, Sunday Bidemi, has been arrested after abandoning his employer’s sick mother at a hospital and fleeing with a Toyota Corolla. The suspect was apprehended nearly a month later at a car wash in Masaka, Nasarawa State, where he was casually using the stolen vehicle.

The car’s owner, Wilson Egun, had met Bidemi by chance in the Mararaba area of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in October last year. Egun, in need of a driver, was impressed by Bidemi’s familiarity with the city and offered him a job on the spot, without conducting background checks.

For the first few weeks, Bidemi performed his duties diligently, earning Egun’s trust. But in November, when he was assigned to take Egun’s mother, Monica, to a hospital in Gwarimpa, he saw an opportunity to strike. After dropping the elderly woman off for her appointment, he disappeared with the car.

A devastated Egun immediately reported the theft to the Maitama Police Division and the Anti-Car Theft Unit in Abuja. For weeks, there was no trace of Bidemi or the stolen vehicle, until officers of the FCT Police Command tracked him down on December 15.

Investigators discovered that Bidemi had been using the stolen car to impress women in Abuja. He claimed that looking well-dressed in a nice car was all it took to attract women in the city. His fraudulent activities extended beyond stealing from his employer—he had also scammed other victims, including a woman he met during a trip to Jos, Plateau State.

The woman, Didel Clara John, had unknowingly become his next target. During their journey together, Bidemi convinced her to pay for fuel worth ₦60,000 and lent him another ₦20,000, claiming his banking app was malfunctioning. Assured by his neat appearance, she trusted him. However, after they arrived in Kaduna and checked into a hotel, Bidemi vanished at dawn, leaving her stranded.

Further investigations revealed that the suspect had stolen the navy blue tracksuit he wore while defrauding Didel from a Nigerian Navy officer, Mrs. Yina Mngusuur Stella. He had gained her trust after she offered him a ride near Abacha Barracks, only to rob her of her ATM card, National Identification Number (NIN) card, and Navy slip tag.

According to the FCT Police Command, Bidemi will face multiple charges for his crimes. Commissioner of Police Olatunji Disu confirmed that the stolen vehicle had been returned to Egun, emphasizing the importance of conducting proper background checks before hiring employees.

Disu urged employers to verify identities through official documents such as a driver’s licence or international passport and to request references. He also advised installing vehicle tracking devices to aid in recovery in case of theft.