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Some residents of Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital, are raising the alarm over the alleged criminal activities of two street boys.
The unidentified teenage boys are being reported to be indulging in the act stealing from people while they pretend to be asking for assistance from.
Leading the alarm is Emmanuel Owuala, The Chairman of Actors Guild of Nigeria , Akwa Ibom Chapter. He shared the photos of the boys on Facebook and narrated his encounter with them.
He wrote:
PUBLIC NOTICE :
This two boys are growing to become a major threat to this society.
Yesterday, at Udoumana Traffic light, they begged me for small thing to eat, I told them to meet me at Discovery Park where I was going for a meeting, on getting there, they arrived.
I took out time to ask them few questions about who they are and their origin, they both told me their parents are dead. I knew they lied, but I told them I was going to help me.
I asked what they will like to do so as to keep them going, and they said they will like to sell pure water, I then asked how much they needed, they both said they needed to get the rubber (as seen in the picture above), I then asked another boy who was selling pure water to go and buy the rubber (plastic buckets) each costing 700naira.
Before the rubbers were brought, I asked them about schoolconter since it was free, these boys said they don’t have the need for school since they can’t feed themselves. But I encouraged them to go to school in the morning and sell in the afternoon.
When the rubbers were brought, I asked how much they needed to start their business and they said just 200 each which will give them 2 bags each and when the sell, they will make another 200 as profit. After counseling them, I gave them 1k each, and assigned another little boy who was selling pure water already to go with them and ensure they bought the pure water and use the balance to eat and pay for the daily tickets.
30mins later, the little came back and informed me that these boys snatched the money from him, threatening to beat him up and bought a certain concoction and took a Keke and ran away without buying the pure for sell.
I’m doing this post because I know alot of people may have seen them and wished to help them if they have not done that already. We should not be encouraging them to beg for a living, but get something doing.
After reading Emmanuel’s story, some other social media users who have had encounter with the boys also shared their experiences:
Akpabio Glory Datoyo: “This one is black T-shirt gave me a story of his pure water bucket breaking and he needed money so that his “madam” will let him sleep in the house.I gave him 5h,two weeks later he came up with the same story,i didn’t even say a word.I just walked away”
Inemesit MotionzStudios Okon : “Bros, I am tired of this two little boys… I have bought that bucket and food severally, I think this issue needs a redress, so it doesn’t get out of hand.
Edidem Macaulay: “The one with black polo try to snatch phone from my hand at traffic light oron road by udo umana, i was going through my phone, he waited for me for traffic to give signal to move, when traffic give signal to move, he rush to my keke an drag the phone , i drag him back an hit him an he ran away, so please be careful of this children”