By Kelechi David
The Lagos State Government has withheld the donations made to the viral amputee hawker after discovering that she ”lied” about her condition.
Mary Daniel, who claims she sells sachet water in Oshodi, was discovered by kind hearted Nigerians after her story was shared online and she immediately went viral.
The single mother claimed she lost a leg in an accident that killed all passengers, including her parents, when she was a teenager.
She added that life became hard and she dropped out of school to fend for herself by selling on the street.
She said during an interview that she is an orphan with a baby and an aged grandmother to fend for.
Her story touched Nigerians and different people made donations of about 25 Million Naira to her.
This prompted the state government to step in to prevent criminals from taking advantage of her sudden fortune. However, the state government has now discovered inconsistencies in her story.
It was discovered that her father is alive and that she was amputated from birth, not as a result of an accident.
It was gathered that Mary Daniel started receiving strange calls from those who staged her story with threats to reveal the truth unless she gave them their share of the money.
Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu had immediately handed her over to officials of the social welfare for investigation in the presence of the police and some Kogi leaders, who attested her father was alive, following revelations her case was staged.
The Commissioner of Police, Hakeem Odumosu said that the young woman was in the custody of officials of the Social Welfare and not the police as earlier reported.
“The police were there but she was not handed over to us. She was handed over to the Social Welfare. There were irregularities and lies in the account of her life she gave.
“It was discovered that contrary to her claim that her parents died during an accident that left her amputated, her father is very much alive and that she was amputated from birth.
“It was also discovered that her presence in Oshodi was staged. Those working with her played on the intelligence of Nigerians to get donations for her.
“It came to light when the people started threatening her. She promised some N500,000 others different amounts and was planning to return to her home state when the information leaked.
“I had to attach some policemen to her to prevent any attack on her when she went to the bank. We suspected those people might follow her but everything went well as they were not seen.
“Presently, the state government is preventing her from accessing the money.
Odumosu explained that the government does not want a situation where it would become a trend for people to cook up stories, manipulate the people to get donations.
