It was on my way to Victoria Island,just as I walked across the lane to catch a bus that he called out,"excuse me sir". I stopped and turned to behold a young man of about 28 or 30,looked very much like a graduate or even a working-class guy.He looked worried."Good afternoon sir,please dont be annoyed sir.I'm going to Ketu and the driver said that the fare is N200,and i have only N100 on me....."I did not even wait 4 him to land b4 i brought out d money and have to him, wit full compassion in my heart 4 "such a young man who was stranded and had to defy shame and ego to beg" .

About 2 days later on my way to V.I. again I Saw this same guy around d same area and in the same begging mood...It was then i realized that I Had given my money to one of the lazy Nigerian,with thwarted mentality who though sound physically,healthier than even than the donor outwardly but who are crooks playing on ppl's emotions...Have you ever seen these ppl? Lets share your experience.

I have met two different people at ketu who asked me for transport fare because they didnt have enough with them,but it never occured to me that they were lying since they dressed responsibly.

Yea there's this woman and her son at the Lekki Phase One gate always not having complete fares or none at all then Tanatalizers Lekki is another hotspot for these professionals. It now makes one so weary of giving to the needy becos you no longer know who is actually in need ...just like Federal Government no longer believe fuel subsidy is getting to the right people ...Naija!

k2039: I have met two different people at ketu who asked me for transport fare because they didnt have enough with them,but it never occured to me that they were lying since they dressed responsibly.

Most times they are well dressed:-D

Sad but true that a lot of people take advantage of people,but in most cases people are usually stranded and need help.

I have been stranded twice and in both cases could not muster the courage to approach people for help.

First,was in Asaba after my service when somebody gave me an introductory letter to the then head of service in Delta state.

As a confirmed kpako I quickly used the overnight newspaper van from lagos to Asaba. Got there in the morning and brought out my borrowed suit and headed there but as devil will have it she travelled and I had to stay in one hotel(hotel fee was not planned)by morning I was broke and to add insult to injury I had not even left her office when my C.V was shredded.

See me for Asaba motor park wearing a borrowed suit without a kobo,looking at the best person to rag,but that was my least problem as I was very hungry. At the end of the day it was the agbero chairman I took my problems to and he helped me back to lagos,since then agbero people can never do wrong to me.

The ph own is a story for another day.

Some few weeks back my collegues at work took me out on my birthday, and in front of the joint a well dressed white woman approached the group begging for gas money. All my american co-workers refused her a dime. I was the only one we gave her money(I was called a sucker)but this guys don't know my history or that I have been in her position before.

Though people take others for granted but I will advice if you can afford to give,do continue giving as you might just be saving that person in a way you don't know.

There will be days when people play a fast on on you,but as they say in nigeria (your good no go kill you)

My story is similar to that of the op.

I've had countless of experiences, but the one that has refused to leave my memory was the one that happened early this year (sometime in April)

I was going to Umuahia from onitsha with a friend for a burial, so we went to ITC park, and boarded a bus...shortly after paying and collecting our receipt, a young man began to create a scene.

He was properly dressed, and spoke plain English, I was astonished at the fluency of his speech...he was like "oh my God" I can't find my wallet any more....I'm finished....

At first no one paid attention to his initial ranting, so he increased the tone of his voice, and in a matter of minutes, a crowd collected.

Then he begin to narrate his pathetic story to us...he said he was going to Port harourt, and had about 20k on him, after proceeding into the park to purchase a ticket he noticed that his wallet was gone.

Some people were mute, some believe him, others remained indifferent on the whole issue...the guy then began to shed tears saying the money was for their youth forum (he showed us a youth forum identity card) I didn't see it very well cos I was a bit far from him.

He went on to tell us that no one would believe he lost the money, that they would have him arrested and knowing the kind of police we have in this country, they might torture him till he either admit to squandering the money, or providing it back.

With time, people were touched by his story, a grown up woman said she's from Port harcourt, and judging from the guys response, he's telling the truth.

I was trying to categorize his accent, but I couldn't...he didn't have an ibo accent, neither did he have a youruba, hausa or calabar one...so I concluded that he might be from ph like that woman claimed.

She handed him a thousand naira...others followed...I gave him 5h..I bet that guy made above 10k that morning.

Soon, the guy left, and our bus filled up, and we began our journey to Umuahia.

After the burial and everything, we boarded a bus (Ohafia line) from Ebem to Umuhia...on getting to Umuahia, we began disembarking from the bus with our bags so we would take another one going back to onitsha, my fried called my attention to the guy (the same guy from onitisha) I didn't really understand him at first, he was like see that guy we met at onitsha.

I turned...and lo and behold, it was him...same properly ironed white striped shirt, same black pants trouser, same black shoe.

Its was him...he was telling the same story he told us at onitsha to travelers who were loading various buses and cabs in Ohafia park.

I couldn't believe my eyes..at first I felt like grabbing him and throwing a gold medal around his neck (tire) but I felt that would be wrong, so I approached him, and asked him if he can recognize me.

On asking him that question, he suspected that his game was up, and with guilt...he fled and joined the next street, I didn't want to give him a chase, and most people in the park didn't even know what was going on...I just left him.

I'm sure that if he continues that illicit business, he would get busted sooner or later and the allu occurrence might just repeat itself.

I would also use this medium to advise us that we should be very careful about the stories we listen to from people...there are people who board buses from state to state just to tell fallacious stories they feel would make you sober thereby giving them some money.

Its not a crime to show concern for stranded and robbed victims, but when people encroach in your emotions so you might be moved with pity to help them, then I'd say its totally wrong.

lots of them here in abuja, and most funny thing is that the put on suit while begging cooperately

No mind them. THAT KIN TRICK NO DEY WORK FOR ME. if I wan pity people I know where I can get them. They are all around us even in our working places or places of worship.

I encountered a lady in a public bus. She beseeched me for money to complete her fare which I gave to her. I noticed she begged another person who got off the bus and another person entered and she begged again. This went on and on till a point i got pissed and yelled at her "madam what's your problem?" The lady i just helped started insulting me and everyone in the bus became startled until i narrated the whole story to them. They started cautioning the lady who went on insulting everyone in the bus. She was well dressed but uncouth manners.

Actually, I've seen a couple of people like that. They've even approached me for money; sometimes i give, sometimes i don't. It just depends on my mood at that moment and how vulnerable their story sound to be true.

There are lot of them outside there..my problem with them is lying,if u wnt to beg just beg and let pple help u.
There is this woman at orita that will always tell you her transport fee is nt complete. Now,almost evrybdy in d market know her, and I am sure she wil relocate soon. Silly pple.

Last year during d election period, i met dis beautiful lady who was a youth-corper, she begged me for money saying she had over spent her transport fee.... I told her to give me her phone number b4 i give her my money(i was tempted) which she did.
On getting home.....my(òlòju kokorò) uncle collected her number and they both started dating.....courtship.....marriage proposal......engagement..,.wedding.....they now have a bouncing baby boy.
I married a beautiful lady for my uncle with 1,250.

I met one wen i was in 100level in OOU ane d guy said he a student of UI. Same old story dat he's stranded. He even showed me one ID card like dat. I gave him N1000. Fast forward to wen i was in 400 level....i met dis same guy and he approached me again with the same old story. Gosh....i felt like slapping him and den hand him over to the SUG but i just told him to leave immediately. Since den ehn.....i no deh listen to them.

Another one dat pisses me off is all dose women dat carries like 3kids and den beg people to have mercy on d kids....I simply ignore dem...I am not mean but..........

Anybody that is a student of lag will know this woman well well
Mrs Mo Wa Stranded
Chai! That woman has been stranded in UNILAG Since my year one

I've met them several times. I either give or not give as my spirit leads.

I met a guy sometime in CMS who was looking for transport fare to travel to Benin. I told him to follow me to Yaba and I will buy a ticket for him. Na there story change and he said he wanted to travel the next day. I just shook my head in disgust.

I met so many....... some claim to be a lecturer of so so university and he is out of transport fare, other claimed she needed 800 naira for some drugs for her kids or so and she is always in my school's gate, in fact I don tire!!!

Those Nigeriens are worse, they use their kids while the parents watch!

Haba

once they begin their washy story ..ignore them ...

I have met countless of those professionals in Lagos. Some beautiful gals do that too but only approach guys/men. They know guys/men easily fall for beautiful lies.

Ha! Jezz. Many times. One happened around 5:00pm yesternit in Ilorin.. The guy walked pass me then turned round and said in yoruba "gudeveni bro, please can you assist my brother and I?". I quickly showed him the 200naira wit me and told him "see, this is my transport fare, got nothing more on me"..

Most times when people beg me for money, I prefer to ask wha they want it for and offer to provide that.... Like if you don't have transport fare I'll offer to board a bus for you, that streamlines to a degree d cheats... I only give cash to d disabled

Redmosquito: Anybody that is a student of lag will know this woman well well
Mrs Mo Wa Stranded
Chai! That woman has been stranded in UNILAG Since my year one

Ah ah?! The tin scatter Redmosquito head sotay him no even remember do him Hades/Minion gig!

lol,i ve met one before,was just leaving the ATM machine,when a guy rushed to meet me and introduced himself as a 400l student from Nassarawa state uni to meet me that the ATM machine rejected his card and he needed some money to buy an inhaler cos he is asthmatic..i told him to prove he was a student,he showed an ID card not that i was convinced o,i just gave him 500 and wished him luck.

OMG!! This one broke my heart...i was @ stanbic IBTC Shoprite Branch in surulere, The cashier asked me to sit and wait for a moment, as i sat a very young looking lady greeted me and i answered as normal after a while she came close and whispered " good morning sir, sorry for disturbing you, i will be having a job interview tomorrow in portharcourt and have come to withdraw everything i have in my account, sir please i wud need 700naira to make up my transport fare please i beg u help me" u need to see her pitiful face... i had just 1k with me so i gave it to her out of pity she den brought a balance of 200naira, i den asked for the 100naira balance she said she does not have change den i asked her to give me 400naira den, she was like ok ok ok i think i have 100 naira, she den gave me a balance of 300naira(imagine). The nxt day on my way to the mall i saw dis same girl at first bank making the same move. i was so pissed. i fall mugu.

I've never seen this type since I came 2 lagos, 2 weeks ago I went 2 d ATM inside shoprite alausa with
My Fiancé 2 withdraw money, on getting there a man was there complaining that d machine swallowed his Card and dat he has nothing on him and no fuel in his car, before he finished a man gave him #1000 and said dats what he can help him with so we left, jst last week Wednesday d same man met us at d same ATM and said d same story dis time he showed us a slip that read (transaction failed) he now told my guy 2 help him with 1000 dat he will send him recharge card, he said again dat he has no fuel in his car, immediately I told my guy not 2 give him anything in our dialect dat am suspecting d man, my guy looked at him very well and said is it nt dat Man we met here last week? I said yes hahahaha. We didn't fall 4 his tricks though.

Fascinating stories.
Mine was in London. Noticed this guy with crutches and bandage all over his leg, rushing towards me while i was going to church, he said he had an accident not quite long and has to go and pay for some drugs that cost some £££ amount, i took pity on him, plus d fact its Sunday, and had a girl by my side, i did what all men in that situation will do..
Later realised that unemployed citizens get there drugs for free
2 Sundays later, saw the same bastard, with the same story, but this time there was no girl and my eye dey chook already, i felt like a fool but took pity on his foolishness for not remembering me.

2nd guy was in McDonalds, he said he was starving and this looks like his last meal, all he need is £2, i opened my wallet and gave him £2, he saw £5 note and said i should give him that, so i collected the £2 back and told him to jug on..

I meet them all the time such that i feel they are attracted 2 mi.Most times
i would be at the bus stop with so many others, but they always walk
right up 2 mi.As a matter of fact, i admire their courage because i have
been stranded before but didn't have the courage to ask anybody for money.I personally
dislike begging and it has never been my style.

I love d stories on dis thread, some made laugh to tears. Very informative. Thanks y'all for sharing