One of the drivers of Airport Car Hire Association of Nigeria (ACHAN), Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos, Mr. Adeniyi Olayinka, has returned $2,400 (about N888,000) and an international passport forgotten by a passenger in his car to the passenger.
Olayinka told journalists at the airport that he discovered the items in an envelope left behind by the passenger on the back seat of the car shortly after he returned to the airport from Ibese, Ikorodu destination of the passenger.
The driver, who does not have a car of his own, but works as commissioned driver to another member of the association, said it never crossed his mind to covert another person’s belonging because it would put another family in sorrow and it was against the orientation given to every member of ACHAN in the airport.
He said: “Though it could be tempting to some people to see such money and pocket it, especially when their income is very poor. As for me, it never crossed my mind to do so. Because it would create sorrow in another family and also such idea is against the orientation we are given at ACHAN by our leaders.”
Olayinka said he discovered that an enveloped had been left behind on the back seat of his car.
Speaking on the recovery, the passenger, Dele Ayeni, said this made him to believe there was hope for Nigeria in many ways.
He said: “I arrived Lagos, Nigeria from Cairo on July 29, 2019 about 1.30a.m. on Monday. My intention when I arrived was to call an Uber operator to pick me home as soon as I step out of the terminal building. But as I was coming out of the terminal, I met this polite driver who agreed to take me to my destination at Ikorodu at an agreed price of N6,000.”
“Immediately we got to my house in Ikorodu; I removed my jacket from where I had kept it and also my luggage, without noticing that the envelope in the jacket had dropped on the back seat of the car. Unfortunately, I didn’t open my luggage to bring out what I had for my family members until after I woke up at noon. That was when I discovered that the envelope was missing in my jacket. I exclaimed.
“My wife asked me where I took the cab; I told her it was in the airport and she advised that I should go to the airport to inquire if it has been found. I told her I didn’t know the name of the driver or the vehicle number. However, with her encouragement I came to the airport and went to the car park where I boarded the cab.
