3 Nigerians Who Found Huge Amount of Money and Returned it

Nigerians languish in poverty, but interestingly, some have found lost money and returned it. 

While the World Bank pegs the nation’s poverty rate at 40 percent, the people’s exemplary prudence with money is somewhat unexpected. 

Extreme poverty has made most Nigerians dishonest in their businesses. However, there are still a few Nigerians, that have proven to be different. 

Here is the story of Nigerians who found huge amounts of money and returned it.

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1. Abdulkadir Shehu

Abdulkadir Shehu, a Gombe-based journalist for Progress FM, returned the $3,000 he found along the road. Shehu recounted seeing an envelope on the road on his way to work.

The journalist notified his coworkers but did not reveal the amount or currency.

Later, he declared on the radio that anyone who had lost money in the region should call a phone number.

“The owner called, cried profusely, and described the location he lost the money, what the money was wrapped in, the total amount, and other details”.

Shehu went on to say that about 50 people called after the announcement to claim ownership of the money, but none of them supplied an exact sum.

Shehu revealed that he had less than N2,000 on him at the time of the incident.

When he found the money, the pressman said he received a call from Kano, who said his son was sick and needed to be examined for kidney and liver disorders.

“They couldn’t go ahead because there was no money. My son is still under medical supervision”, he said.

Shehu emphasised that poverty should not be used as a justification for dishonesty and that if he used the money, Allah would punish him.

2.  Josephine Ugwu 

Josephine Ugwu, a cleaner at Murtala Mohammed International Airport (MMIA), claimed she had returned millions of dollars in various sums. Occasionally, 12 and occasionally, 8 million Naira.

However, Ugwu, is dissatisfied because she believes she has not received the accolades she deserves. According to her, “In other countries, I would’ve been an ambassador, talking to the youths about the importance of honesty. But today, nobody remembers me, “said a visibly distraught Ugwu.

3. Ikenna Nweke

Ikenna Nweke, who lives in Japan was returning home from the university, where he worked as a teaching assistant on the day the incident occurred. He was up the stairway when he noticed a large purse.

“I picked it up and opened it. I saw a huge sum of money in it like 10,000 yen each. I didn’t want to waste time as there’s a police station close by. I went there and gave them the purse. When the police officer who collected it from me opened it, he saw the money in it.”

Nweke was surprised by the expression on the police officer’s face, which implied astonishment that an African could see such money and give it back. 

“He had already collected my resident card and knew I’m a Nigerian. He asked me where I saw the money and why I didn’t take it. I told him there was no need for that because of the way I was raised and my faith as a Christian. 

He told me about the Japanese law that if one finds anything lost especially money, the person is entitled to 10 percent of the money. He added that if the owner of such money doesn’t claim ownership after three months, the money becomes that of the finder.”  

After the police officer’s explanation, Nweke still refused to have any share of the money owed to him by law.

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