The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) Social Development Secretariat (SDS) has arrested a 48-year-old beggar, Hadiza Ibrahim, with N500,000 and $100.
Sani Amar, the director, Social Welfare Services of the secretariat said the beggar, an indigene of Kaduna was one of the die-hard beggars that had been apprehended by the secretariat’s taskforce many times.
“It was very fortunate that on February 9, Ibrahim was apprehended among other beggars on Adetokunbo Ademola Crescent in Wuse II,” Mr Amar said.
He explained that beggars are well searched for harmful objects before they are being profiled to ascertain if they engage in other business activities.
“There are many people looking for 10 per cent of what she has as capital to do a business that would sustain them without resorting to begging.
“But she is here with N500,000 plus 100 dollars notes which is N57,000 equivalent yet not investing it and still pretending to be a poor beggar who has nothing to eat.”
Earlier, the beggar told journalists that she had been begging on the streets of Abuja for the past 10 years.
“If I get a huge amount of money, I will travel to my hometown, Kwanan Danja in Zaria, Kaduna state and when the money is finished I will come back.
“The day I was apprehended with the money, I came out with it to buy kitchen utensils for my daughter who will be getting married very soon,” she added.