Following the arrest of a prominent beggar, Hadiza Ibrahim, in Abuja, authorities of the Federal Capital Territory Administration’s Social Development Secretariat, SDS, have stressed that the suspect is not involved in any illegal activity.
Hadiza Ibrahim was apprehended a few days ago at the Ademola Adetokunbo Crescent in the Wuse 2 District of the nation’s capital after being nabbed with N500,000 and $100 in cash.
Malam Sani Amar, the Acting Director, Social Welfare Services of the SDS, told reporters on Thursday in Abuja that the hefty sum was an accumulation of her N2,000 daily payment, which she began many years ago.
Malam Sani Amar told journalists that preliminary investigations conducted by the SDS showed that Hadiza has no links with any organized criminal syndicates as was earlier perceived by the general public.
While urging residents of the territory to discourage begging, the official noted that Hadiza, a native of Kaduna State was able to make so much money because of the location she usually stays to beg.
Amar said: “Within our little knowledge and experience in discharging our duty, with the assistance of security personnel attached to us, we understand that Hadiza was not involved in any criminal activity and if you look at the money found in her possession, it was accumulated overtime.
“On the profiling we did on her, we gave the Police in our team time to play their role and they did what they could and it was clearly established that she was not into such nefarious acts.
“She was so wise to have selected the areas of her own begging business, where she realises huge money daily.”