Driver who locked child in car’s boot not our member – AUATON

The Amalgamated Union of App-Based Transporters of Nigeria (AUATON) on Sunday formally distanced itself from an Indrive driver whose actions were captured in a disturbing viral video. In the footage, the driver is seen placing a minor in the boot of his vehicle during a trip with an unidentified passenger.

AUATON’s Chairman for Lagos State Council, Mr. Azeez Jaiyesimi, clarified in a statement—issued by the council’s Public Relations Officer, Mr. Steven Iwindoye—that the individual involved does not belong to the union. “The attention of the Amalgamated Union of App-Based Transporters of Nigeria, Lagos State Council, has been drawn to a deeply disturbing viral video depicting a driver operating on the Indrive platform, placing a minor in the boot of his vehicle, during a trip involving an unidentified passenger,” the statement reads.

The union “strongly condemn[s] this inhumane, unsafe, and criminal act,” noting that such behavior “represents a gross violation of safety standards, moral ethics, and basic human dignity.” Jaiyesimi emphasized that the driver “is not a member of AUATON, nor is he recognised by our union in any official capacity,” adding, “AUATON does not condone or support criminal or unethical behaviour under any circumstances. We completely dissociate ourselves from this incident.”

According to Jaiyesimi, troubling incidents involving drivers on the Indrive platform are not unprecedented. He reiterated longstanding complaints about the company’s failure to “adequately verify and profile drivers before onboarding them.” “Unlike responsible operators, Indrive has refused to collaborate with AUATON or conduct proper driver verification through its systems—in spite of multiple formal engagements and calls to action,” Jaiyesimi remarked.

AUATON maintains a “verifiable database of professional, trained, and monitored drivers” as the only registered ride-hailing union in Africa and believes that such a framework helps prevent incidents like this. “If Indrive had cooperated with the union’s regulatory oversight and verification framework, such kind of incidents could had been prevented,” Jaiyesimi asserted.

The union has previously petitioned the Lagos State House of Assembly over what it describes as “negligent conduct of certain app-based platforms, including Indrive, particularly on issues of safety, regulatory compliance, and driver accountability.” Jaiyesimi said this latest event only “reinforces our long-standing concerns.”

AUATON called on the Lagos State Government, the Nigeria Police Force, and other relevant authorities “to urgently investigate this matter, identify the perpetrator, and ensure justice is served.” The statement further demands that Indrive “immediately halt the onboarding of unverified drivers and take responsibility for the safety of passengers using its platform.”

“AUATON remains steadfast in its commitment to upholding the highest standards of safety, professionalism, and accountability in the ride-hailing sector across Lagos State,” concluded Jaiyesimi.