Kehinde Olatubosun describes himself as a ‘corporate beggar’ after being arrested by the Lagos State Command of the Rapid Response Squad.
Olaubosun, who was rounded up alongside 18 drug users, revealed that he makes an income of N300,000 monthly from begging in Ikeja axis of Lagos.
Speaking after being arrested, he stated that he makes an average of N10,000 daily from strategic locations in Ikeja- Mobolaji Bank Anthony Roundabout, Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, Toyin Street and Opebi.
“What I do is that I get LASUTH drug prescription papers from their waste bin. With this in my hand, I convince motorists, passengers and passers-by that I have a relative who is in need of money to buy drugs and I show them the prescription papers. This is what I have been doing since I was deported from Germany in 2004. Before the deportation, I was working as Electrical Engineer in Bauhusa, Cologne, Germany. I was in Germany for 12 years before I was deported.”
“I was in possession of drugs when I was arrested in Germany, so they deported me. I have four children. Two are in Germany with my wife. One is in Texas in the United States and another in Nigeria. Unfortunately, all the money I make from this begging goes into drugs.”
“I am always there, seven days a week. I make more money on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. I make more than N10,000 on weekends. As I speak with you, I am not on drugs, but I am experiencing withdrawal symptoms. That is the effect of not taking drugs for some time. I was at Ipodo drug joint, Ikeja, when I was arrested. I was on drugs.”
“I have never been arrested for any offence before. I am praying that RRS releases me. I promise I will not go back to drugs again. Where I live presently was given to me by my in-law.” He said