Coronavirus : Uber driver cries for help

By Ladapo Kolade

A Uber driver who responded to the call on citizens to disclose contacts with suspected carriers of COVID-19, better known as coronavirus, is crying for help to protect him against threat calls and save his business.

Olugbenga Opeyemi Bodunrin who drives a Toyota Camry numbered JJJ 355 FN and resides in the Low Cost (Jakande) Housing Estate in Ejigbo had taken an Italian from the Murtala Muhammed International Airport last Monday. They had lunch at the Ikeja City Mall and he later dropped him at his residence on Ligali Ayorinde street on Victoria Island. The Italian requested his services for 20 days and gave him his wife’s phone number to call.

However, on his way to resume the next day, his car’s break developed mechanical problems. It took him two hours to fix it. When he arrived the Ligali Ayorinde residence later to pick his client, he called the number given but there was no response.

While waiting in the hope that the family would turn up, he heard on the radio of the case of an Italian who arrived Nigeria on February 25th that was suspected to carry the COVID-19 virus and the call on citizens with information on those who might have had contact with to share it.

Inspired by patriotism, Bodurin went to his Twitter account to announce that he had picked an Italian and that both had been together.

He was contacted by the National Emergency Management Authority and other first emergency responders who told him that the case on hand was different as the Italian in question had stayed in hotels.
Their accounts were corroborated by the Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-olu in a press conference February 28 where he narrated that the Italian involved came into Lagos for business on February 25 and travelled to Ogun State, the next day.

According to Governor Sanwo-Olu: ““The COVID-19 patient is an Ogun State-based expatriate who flew into Lagos from Milan in Italy via Istanbul, Turkey last Monday evening…He remains in stable condition at the bio-security facility in Yaba, Lagos Mainland, where he is being isolated”

But Bodunrin’s effort to help a national cause has put him in trouble. He told Echonews that he has been receiving threat calls from unknown persons who are after his life alleging that he must have contacted the disease and his presence outside a quarantine facility is a danger to the populace.

Worse for him is the fact that a lot of people recorded his face, name, number of his car from his Twitter account and are discouraging potential clients from using his services.

“ I bought the car I am using to do Uber on hire purchase. I pay N30,000 every week. Since this incident, I have not been able to meet my target all because people are linking me with the Italian being diagnosed with coronavirus. I want to call on the government to come to my aid”.

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