LASG withdraws 25m donation.
Social media sensation, Mary Daniel, the Oshodi amputee trader has come under public scrutiny after it was discovered that her public story turned out to be false.
Miss Daniel became a sensation weeks ago after pictures of her selling water in sachet at Oshodi surfaced on the social media. She claimed she lost a leg in an accident that killed all other passengers, including her parents when she was a teenager. It has now been found that she did not lose her leg in an accident and neither is her father dead.
Her story induced public sympathy and that prompted a public donation for her. At the last count, she was said to have raked in N25 million. The Lagos State government was also planning to gift her N25 million.
With the latest development, the state government has withdrawn its donation to her.
The Lagos State government, which sheltered her to prevent criminals from taking advantage of her sudden fortune, also threw her a birthday party. But, the ‘honeymoon’ ended yesterday when the state government discovered that her father was alive and she was amputated from birth.
Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, directed that she be placed in the custody of officials of the social welfare unit for investigation. She was handed her over to officials of welfare in the presence of the police and some Kogi elders, who attested that her father was alive.
Commissioner of Police (CP) Hakeem Odumosu clarified that the young woman was in the custody of social welfare and not the police.
“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.
“Presently, the state government is preventing her from accessing the money. The government does not want a situation where it will become a trend for people to cook up stories, manipulate the people to get donations,” Odumosu said.
