Lottery winner was unable to claim jackpot prize because he is an undocumented Nigerian migrant

A Nigerian man who scooped €500,000 on an Italian scratchcard but found himself unable to collect the prize due to his undocumented status has finally been granted permission to remain in the country.

Imagbe Ehizomwengie, 36, purchased the winning €5 Gratta e Vinci ticket using money he had earned selling handkerchiefs and begging outside a supermarket.

Upon discovering his fortune, he broke down in tears of happiness and relief, yet his joy proved fleeting when obstacles prevented him from accessing the funds.

This week, a tribunal in Ancona ruled Ehizomwengie should receive a residency permit.

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"I've been praying for this moment ever since I arrived in Italy," he said. "It's a huge relief. You might think it's incredible, but receiving the permit means more to me than winning the money."

Ehizomwengie's path to Italy was marked by extreme hardship. He departed Nigeria after his mother urged him to escape obligations tied to a secret society run by his father, according to Italian newspaper Il Resto del Carlino.

His route took him across the Sahara Desert before he was captured in Libya, where he remained imprisoned for approximately two years until a ransom secured his release.

He eventually crossed the Mediterranean by boat, reaching Palermo during the summer of 2016 before authorities transferred him to the Marche region.

His application for "special protection" status was turned down by immigration officials in Pesaro. This category of permit, which previously offered residency to asylum seekers facing serious dangers if returned home, had been curtailed by Giorgia Meloni's Government in 2023.

Without valid documentation, Ehizomwengie found himself trapped in an impossible situation. He could not open a bank account to receive his winnings, yet without access to those funds, he lacked the financial independence required to strengthen his residency application.

Desperate for a solution, he handed the money to a fellow Nigerian whom he trusted as a friend. The arrangement quickly soured when this individual began spending the funds as though they were his own.

Intervention from other members of the Nigerian community, along with Ehizomwengie's cousin, eventually forced a resolution. Roughly €250,000 was transferred to the cousin's account to keep a portion of the winnings within the family.

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These funds were subsequently used to purchase Mama Africa, an African food shop in the coastal town of Falconara Marittima.

The Ancona tribunal based its decision on several factors: Ehizomwengie's strong command of Italian, his integration into local society, his employment at Mama Africa, and his unblemished criminal record.

His lawyer, Andrea Palazzeschi, emphasised the lottery windfall was not the determining factor. "But it's important to stress that Imagbe didn't get the residence permit because he won the money, he got it because he proved to be a good candidate," he said.

Ehizomwengie has become something of a local celebrity in Falconara, where he intends to throw a party for the entire community. "But only to celebrate receiving my permit," he said. "I want to work and intend to keep my feet firmly on the ground. I just want to live a normal life."

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