A large number of Muslim faithful have been trooping to the Abuja residence of Senator Lado Danmarke for his annual Ramadan largesse.
The residents said after paying transport for as high as N1000, they use the balance from the N2000 they get to support their families’ food needs for that particular day.
A former House of Representatives member, Senator Lado was elected senator in 2007 to represent Katsina South Senatorial district.
Weekend Trust learnt that the senator often gives N2000 cash and, in some cases, food packages to individuals who come to his house on a daily basis.
It was further learnt that the annual gesture comes during the last 10 days of Ramadan.
When Weekend Trust visited the house on Monday evening, hundreds of people, including some physically challenged women, were seen outside the house waiting for the distribution to start.
Speaking with Weekend Trust, a man who gave his name as Nasiru Saidu from Katsina State, said people come from many neighbouring Abuja villages such as Nyanya, Mararaba, Kpaduma, Garki, among others, to collect the money.
Nasiru, who said he stays in Kpaduma, not too far from Asokoro, usually treks with his colleagues to the senator’s house in Asokoro on a daily basis for the gesture.
A physically challenged woman, who gave her name as Asmau, said she spends about N1,100 to and from the senator’s house to collect the N2000, adding that sometimes she would get a package of food alongside the money.
“I stay in Kpaduma village, not far from here, but because of my condition, I hire a tricycle that will take me and my wheelchair. I spend between N1000 and N1100 on transport and I use the remaining N900 to buy food for my family,” she explained.
Another beneficiary, Maryam Isah from Nyanya, shared that she spends between N600 and N800 on transportation. “After paying for transport, I use the remaining N1,200 to buy soup ingredients,” she said.
Weekend Trust learnt that while the senator gives N2000 to each male and female adult, N1000 is given to each of the children.
Based on that, our reporter learnt that many women are there with their children to get the additional N1000.
Hauwa Aliyu, a native of Garki village in Abuja, said she usually goes there with her two children, who get N1000 each.
She said, “The idea just came to us on Sunday and since then, I have been getting extra N2000 aside from my own.”
The women expressed gratitude to the senator and commended the orderly manner in which the money is distributed.
One of the officials in charge of the distribution of the money, who craved anonymity, said women and children are usually the first to be called inside the senator’s compound for the distribution to avoid rush and overcrowding.
He said, thereafter, they would be asked to leave and the men would be allowed in.
“This is why we have not been having issues. It has been orderly despite the crowd you saw outside. We will continue to try our best to maintain orderliness till the end of the programme,” he said.
Our reporter saw many women who are not Muslims also waiting for the gesture which is equally extended to them.
Baba Zulai, an elderly woman from Deidei, shared her experience. “I come from Deidei, but I stop at the National Mosque before heading here. I spend N800 on transport, but if I receive N2,000, I make over N1,000 daily, so I am grateful.”
Her words reflect the harsh economic realities faced by many, yet an enduring sense of gratitude persists.
Ramatu, another recipient, went with more than 10 children, hoping to collect N12,000. “I am determined to wait until they start sharing the alms. Within 15 minutes, the crowd will disperse once the stipends are handed out. Sometimes, we even get food to break our fast,” she said, her optimism highlighting the anticipation among those gathered.
However, not all recipients feel entirely safe. Yaya Abu, a nursing mother, expressed her concerns about the large crowd.
“I fear that this crowd might trample on my baby in a stampede. I can’t continue to wait in this long queue like this,” she said. Yaya’s concern was shared by many, as the volume of people present seemed unprecedented in the history of the distributions.
Our reporters observed that the distribution process begins with women and children, followed by men, although many in the crowd were elderly women, alongside a few younger individuals.
Beyond Senator Lado Danmarke’s efforts, his mother also plays a pivotal role in supporting vulnerable citizens in Abuja. She offers similar assistance at her residence, attracting hundreds, if not thousands, of people in need.
It was observed that throughout the last 10 days of Ramadan, people from all walks of life—irrespective of their faith—flock to the Senator’s residence, hoping for a daily handout.
The scene is an emotional reminder of the dire economic conditions many Nigerians face, where a simple act of charity can offer a momentary respite from their struggles.
Despite the challenges and the risks involved in these large gatherings, the hope for even the smallest form of assistance keeps people coming back day after day.
Whether it’s the possibility of a modest cash handout or a meal to break their fast, the vulnerable, across the country, continue to depend on these acts of charity as a lifeline during the holy month of Ramadan.