There is heart-wrenching poverty all over the world. I think you are doing the right thing by not helping anyone because you know you can't help everyone. When I worked in downtown Chicago, there was a young woman who used to hang out on the corner across from our offices with a small cat. She always looked strung out, stoned and in generally terrible shape, so we managed (with the help of the Chicago police) to get the cat away from her and into a local shelter; she was back the very next day with a different cat! I'm sure she was using the money that she claimed was for cat food to support an addiction. You cannot help everyone and there are organizations in place whose goal is to do just that. Steel yourself, keep your windows closed, and go out as infrequently as you can.

I remember reading a similar thread about panhandlers some time ago on PT - I quickly searched, but I can't find it. Will search more carefully when I have more time. Hang tough ally cat's mommy - hopefully you will be living in Australia in the not too distant future and things will be different from what you see in Nigeria.