A Nigerian man living in Italy has claimed that he has spent the past nine years begging on the streets of the European country while using the proceeds to support his family in Nigeria.
The unnamed made the revelation in a video circulating online, where he compared living conditions in Italy and Nigeria.
Although he said Italy was a better place to live, he disclosed that begging had been his means of livelihood since relocating to the country nine years ago.
He said the income had enabled him to build a house in Nigeria and provide for his children and other family members.
He stated, “Italy is better than Nigeria, but I have been a beggar here in Italy for the last nine years and I have built a house in Nigeria and I take care of my kids and family very well.”
His account has generated mixed reactions on social media, with some users questioning why he would leave Nigeria for Europe only to depend on begging for a living.
Others expressed surprise at his claim that begging had provided enough income for him to build a house and support his family back home.
One social media user noted that the man had also mentioned being sick and said more details might emerge if he continued his story.
The video has consequently renewed online discussions about migration, economic opportunities abroad and the different means through which Nigerians living overseas earn a living.
Some reactions focused on whether travelling abroad necessarily guarantees employment or improved economic circumstances, while others questioned the circumstances that led the man to begging.
The full circumstances surrounding his decision to beg in Italy, his earnings and the house he claimed to have built in Nigeria could not be independently verified from the video.
