By Steve Oko
A middle-aged driver in Umuahia, Abia State , Mr Daniel John is still in shock as his conductor, names unknown, escaped with his 14 -seater bus loaded with passengers.
The incident according to the Okigwe Imo State -born driver took place last week.
Narrating his ordeal to our correspondent, Daniel , who looked very bewildered as a result of the trauma he is passing through, said the bus was loading at a motor park opposite Capital Supermarket Uzuakoli Road Umuahia enroute Ohafia, when suddenly he had need to ease himself in his house.
Daniel who lamented that it took him so much to acquire the bus said that upon return to the park he was told that his driver had left with the bus fully loaded with passengers.
The driver said efforts made to locate the whereabouts of the conductor who he had only known for about one week yielded no fruit.
He said he did not even know his real name but only met with him at the park where the conductor usually comes out to look for a driver that would engage him for the day.
The driver however, said he was able to trace the run-away conductor to his his home town Nguzu Edda in Afikpo, Ebonyi State, where he was told by some folks that a bus like the description he gave was sighted entering the town but nobody could give account of its whereabouts or the particular community it entered.
He also said nobody could provide him with further information about the identity of the run-away driver.
He said he had reported the incident to the police in Umuahia where he was assured efforts would be made to apprehend the fleeing conductor and recover his bus.
The driver who said the sad development was still like a drama to him, therefore, appealed to members of the public to report to the nearest police station or contact him via 09021517826 for any useful information about the missing bus marked Rivers AFM 19 XA.