Tragedy struck on Tuesday in the Imo State capital when a physically challenged man, whose identity is yet to be ascertained, died while begging for alms at Cherubim Junction along the busy Wethedral Road.
Eyewitnesses said passers-by initially mistook the man, a familiar face in the area, for someone taking a nap. It was only after several hours that onlookers noticed his motionless body and unresponsive eyes. Attempts to revive him failed.
Officials from the Health Ministry were eventually contacted to evacuate the corpse. However, shop owners in the vicinity were compelled to raise funds to cover the ₦100,000 reportedly demanded before his body could be removed.
Owerri-based comedian Ogechi Duruji, popularly known as MC Duke, confirmed the incident on Facebook, stating that the beggar was well known in the area and allegedly had substantial cash and a bank account at the time of his death.
“The people around paid the money before his corpse was taken away. His crutches are still lying there. Nothing lasts forever. May his soul rest in peace,” Duruji wrote.
Residents who witnessed the evacuation expressed sadness, noting that the deceased had been begging at the same spot for years. Efforts to get confirmation from the Imo State Police Command’s spokesperson, Henry Okoye, were unsuccessful as he did not respond to calls.
