Hon. Alex Ikwechegh Allegedly Compensates Bolt Driver with ₦5 Million and a New Car After Assault Incident

Nigerian House of Representatives member, Alex Ikwechegh, recently compensated Bolt driver Stephen Abuwatseya with ₦5 million and a new car following an incident where the lawmaker assaulted the driver. This information was shared by a representative of the Amalgamated Union of App-based Workers of Nigeria (AUATON).

The assault, captured in a viral video, showed Ikwechegh verbally abusing and threatening the driver, calling him derogatory names and asserting his political status. Following public backlash, Ikwechegh issued an apology, admitting that his behavior fell short of the standards expected of a public official. He also pledged to sponsor a bill to regulate the e-hailing industry, focusing on driver welfare, platform accountability, and passenger safety.

During a meeting with AUATON, Ikwechegh reiterated his commitment to supporting e-hailing drivers and acknowledged his wrongdoing. The chairman of AUATON’s Lagos chapter, Comrade Jaiyesimi Azeez, confirmed that Abuwatseya received compensation and urged the public to view the lawmaker’s support of the e-hailing bill as an additional form of atonement.

Abuwatseya later expressed regret for his role in provoking the incident and asked for forgiveness in a video statement, thanking his supporters and urging closure on the matter.