A cacophony of voices interrupted the quiet ambience in Arilesola area of Abule Egba, a Lagos suburb on Wednesday after a beggar was caught with charms and the sum of N500,000.
In the ensuing pandemonium, residents and bystanders shoved and jabbed one another to catch a glimpse of the 'rich' beggar in the Arilesola neighbourhood of Captain, the scene of the incident.
The beggar, Festus Dia, was said to have approached some persons for alms, specifically demanding the sum of N50 and insisting on the said sum even from people who wanted to give him more.
But his insistence on the sum of N50 was said to have aroused the curiosity of the people around, following which they decided to interrogate him and search his body.
In the search they conducted on him, they found the sum of N500,000 stashed in bales. Some items suspected to be powdery charms and kolanuts were also found on him.
The discovery provoked the mob which attempted to lynch him before the intervention of a senior community leader.
Speaking with our correspondent, the embattled beggar, who claimed that he is an Ijaw man from Ondo State, said he was begging for alms in order to take care of his 10 children and buy some alcoholic drinks to sell.
He said: ''My name is Festus Dia. I am Ijaw from Ondo State and I live in Ekoro area of Abule Egba. I have only spent eight days in this area.
''I sell native alcoholic drinks and I am also a beggar. I was begging for alms so I could buy more drinks from my customer at the Command area of Ipaja.
“The powdery substance found with me is a spiritual substance for my personal use. I have only made N4,800 from alms today.''