BBNaija star Cross says a beggar ripped the windscreen moulding from his car while he was stuck in traffic in Lekki, Lagos.
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BBNaija’s Cross says a beggar ripped the windscreen moulding from his car while he was stuck in Lekki traffic.
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The reality star says he chased the man but could not catch him.
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A Lagos motorist reported a similar incident in Lekki days earlier, involving stolen car parts and belongings.a
A street beggar tore the moulding from the windscreen of former Big Brother Naija housemate Cross Okonkwo’s car in Ikate, Lekki, and ran off before he could catch him, the reality star has said.
Cross described the incident in a series of videos posted on Instagram on Tuesday. He said he was in traffic when several beggars gathered at his window and started speaking to him. He said he did not turn them away. Moments later, one of them pulled the weatherstripping from around the windscreen and fled. Footage he shared shows the windshield moulding ripped away from the car.
Cross said he chased the man but could not keep up. “He ran so fast,” he said. He then directed his frustration at the authorities, asking the Federal Government why such people are allowed on the streets. “Nigeria, you’re not safe in your own country,” he said.
After the incident, Cross said other youths gathered around him, and he brought some men to help look for the suspect. He also spoke with a group of men (Agberos), who told him to leave his number in case he saw the man again.
Cross said he spotted the man across the road while heading back to them. However, the person recognised him and ran away. “I feel so pained. My body is boiling,” he said.
A similar case was reported in the same area this week. A woman driving a Mercedes-Benz in Lekki around 9 pm said a three-man gang ripped a windshield chrome strip, which she valued at ₦300,000, off her car while traffic stood still.
She said the group then took phones and other belongings from motorists in vehicles behind hers. It was the second time she had been targeted, she added. Earlier, the logo on her G-Wagon was stolen in the same way.
Complaints about people posing as beggars in the Lekki and Ajah corridor go back several years. In August 2021, the Lagos State Police Command announced a 24-hour stop-and-search operation in the area after reports of robbers disguising themselves as beggars. The command’s then spokesperson, Adekunle Ajisebutu, said police were aware of the security challenges posed by such people.
The Lagos State Government later said it had set up a special team with the police to address street begging. A report at the time cited intelligence that some beggars carried dangerous weapons.
The latest incident joins a growing number of complaints from Lagos residents of beggars causing physical harm and property damage when their requests are not met.
