I used to earn £2.4 million a year. Corporate beggars complain of economic hardship.

A News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) correspondent reports that corporate beggars are now embracing begging as a means of livelihood as it gives them more income than having to do regular work.

Beggars usually hang around residential buildings, shopping malls, bus stops, religious centers, hospitals, markets, roadsides and offices.

One such beggar on Banex Square, Mrs Hauwa Babasaid that she began begging to enable her to feed her family.

“I have to beg to feed my sick husband and six children. Times are hard, we feed him once every two days, my husband has no money for medicine because he is diabetic.

“I used to work in a private company, but due to the current economic situation in the country, the staff was reduced, and it was difficult to find another job.

“I have no choice but to beg because it’s better than stealing.” Baba said.

According to Baba, even if she finds another job now, she will have to consider whether this job will be more profitable for her before she can stop begging.

Mr. Habib IbrahimA beggar at the Wuse market said that most of them begged because they had no other means of livelihood.

“I have been begging for over nine years in different places in Abuja, I am married and have nine children.

“I use the money to feed and educate my children at school, they go to school during the week and join me in begging on weekends, we go to different places,” – he said.

Ibrahim, who said he used to earn more than £200,000 a month, however said that these days he was barely earning up to £100,000 due to economic difficulties in the country.

“Due to the current economic difficulties, I now earn between N90,000 and N100,000 per month. This is the only thing I know how to do, and I get paid more for it than for my job.

“I know when workers get paid, and that’s when I go to government offices. Every season has its place.” – he said.

Ibrahim said that he always dresses well and neatly so that his clients can attract an audience to him when he approaches them with his sad stories.

According to him, most Nigerians do not get upset and are usually not willing to help when they do not hear sad stories from you about why you are on the street.

Another beggar Uche Raysaid begging paid his bills, adding that he earned up to £5,000 and above daily from begging.

“I had no intention of begging, but the economy turned me into one.

“I used to work in a factory, but after the removal of fuel subsidies, the company left the country and made me unemployed, I have people who depend on me, so I started begging.

“If I get a good job, I might stop begging, but for now it pays the bills,” R.yes, he said.

Disabled beggar Aisha Sariki said that she was born blind in a large family.

Sariki said that because of her condition, people were always willing to help her, which led her to adopt a child and ask for support for her family.

“My family now depends on what I earn in business. We feed and send some of my siblings to school, and some of my other siblings take turns moving me to different places to beg.

“But I would like to be enrolled in a school for the blind for the sake of my future,” – Sariki said.

NAN reports that some beggars are now cashing in on the sympathy of unsuspecting Nigerians who find it difficult to differentiate between genuine requests and beggars who make up stories to make people feel sorry for them.

They trick people into giving them money by citing personal or family problems such as inability to pay medical bills, school fees and house rent.

Sometimes some of them even claim that they don’t have money to continue their journey, just so you can give them money.

Sacrifice, Hajiya Ummi Umarsaid that after an encounter with a corporate beggar at a hospital in Zone 3, she vowed never to fall for their tricks again.

“A well-dressed woman stopped me and we exchanged pleasantries and she asked if I could help her buy medicine for her child who is in hospital.

“I felt sorry for her because she was almost crying and asked the cost of the medicine and then transferred her N20,000.

“A few days later, the same woman approached me at the federal secretariat using the same trick and I explained to her that we had met, only for her to say “bad market” and leave.

“These so-called beggars profit from people’s sympathy because they know that out of 10 people, six may be willing to help,” she said.

Umar said that beggars are always ready to tell stories about stolen wallets, sick children and the like, and beat their victims as soon as they are allowed to listen.

“They look for people who drive SUVs, company cars or are well dressed. Once you politely respond to their greetings, they will strike.

“I used to pay for their transport before I realized that this is a group of people who do this every day, begging on the way there and back,” she said.

Businessman, Emeka Marksaid he is used to them and the lies they tell to exploit innocent citizens who end up earning more.

“Either they need money for food, transportation, hospital bills or medicine, among other things.”

Meanwhile, the civil servant Hajia Hauwa Abdulazizsaid that begging used to be the preserve of the vulnerable, but now so many deceitful or lazy people have decided to use it as a form of business.

“I will still encourage people to help the poor because it is a good quality and God loves givers. Givers never lack either, so just do it for God’s sake.” – Abdulaziz said.

NAN reports that begging is a source of livelihood for many people with disabilities, as well as less affluent sections of the population.

Basically, these were those who could not fend for themselves, and turned to people who, in return, provided them with help in the form of money, food or clothing.

But nowadays, as the economy struggles, corporate beggars are popping up on the streets, people who don’t have any form of disability, and able-bodied people who can work have decided to beg for a variety of reasons.