Lagos Amputee Hawker Lied, Government Withholds all Public Donations

The 27-year-old Lagos amputee hawker’s story has a new twist as she is discovered to have lied about her condition and family status.

The Nation reports on Wednesday that Lagos State government has withheld at least N25 million of the donations she received from home and abroad because contrary to her claims, she did not lose her parents or her leg in an accident.

Her father is alive while her leg was amputated at birth.

Mary Daniel’s story hit the social media circles a fortnight ago detailing her alleged sufferings after she lost her parents in an accident on their way to her village in Kogi State for a Christmas celebration.

She was seen in pictures and videos looking totally harassed despondent and hopeless with only a crutch as support.

Punch interviewed her and published the story she told. Her claims attracted the sympathy of Nigerians home and abroad with massive donations and even an offer to procure a prosthetic leg for her. The process even already commenced.

Mary Daniel also claimed she was an orphan with a baby and an aged mother to fend for. She narrated how she dropped out of school, left her home state to irk a living in Onitsha, got sexually exploited and impregnated by a man who denied responsibility.

Unable to bear the shame, she left Onitsha for Asaba and moved to Oshodi, Lagos in March, 2021.

The public and Lagos State government with the support of Kogi State took up her case. A total sum of N25 million hit her account within days.

The Lagos State government took her out of the streets to protective custody with the promise of giving her an apartment. This was to prevent criminals from taking advantage of her sudden fortune.

Only a few days ago, a celebrity party was held for Mary. Celebrity fashion designers, photographers and makeup artists gave her a makeover reminiscent of renowned Nollywood actresses.

Cakes, drinks and food was in abundance while government officials and celebrities honoured her with their presence.

It all looked like a dream and indeed, she counselled those struggling with life to keep at it as fortune would eventually smile on them.

Unfortunately for Mary, the Lagos State government discovered on Wednesday that she lied and her story and pictures of her travails staged. Her father is indeed alive, while she was amputated from birth.

Reports say that the state government has handed her over to officials of the social welfare for investigation in the presence of the police and some Kogi leaders in Lagos who confirmed her father was alive.

The Nation reports that Mary started receiving phone calls from those who staged her story with threats to reveal the truth unless she gives them their share of the donations she was getting.

Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Hakeem Odumosu confirmed that the young woman was in the custody of officials of the Social Welfare and not the police as earlier reported.

According to him, “The police were there but she was not handed over to us. She was handed over to the Social Welfare. There are 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, it was discovered that 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 stared 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.

“The government does not want a situation where it will become a tree for people to cook up stories, manipulate the people to get donations,” Odumosu explained.

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Lagos amputee hawker lied