How Mary Daniel cooked up story to scam Nigerians, Lagos state withholds N25M
Oshodi amputee hawker, Mary Daniel’s story about how her leg was amputated in an accident that killed all passengers, including her parents has been uncovered to be cooked up in order to manipulate Nigerians into donating for her.
Recall that she became popular after her pictures selling water in Oshodi surfaced on social media. She claimed in an interview that she was an orphan with a baby and an aged grandmother to fend for.
Daniel’s story drew the sympathy of Nigerians and N25 million was donated for her. This prompted the state government to immediately shelter her to prevent criminals from taking advantage of her sudden fortune.
The Lagos state government discovered that her story was staged as contrary to her claims her father was alive and her leg was amputated from birth.
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According to the Nation, she 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.
It was learnt Sanwo-Olu handed her over to officials of welfare in the presence of the police and some Kogi leaders, who attested her father was alive.
The nation’s report stated that the Commissioner of Police Hakeem Odumosu said 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.
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“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 started threatening her. She promised some N500,000 others different amounts and was planning to return to her home state when the information leaked.
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“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 trend for people to cook up stories, manipulate the people to get donations,” Odumosu explained.
This is coming just few days after a celebrity birthday party was held in her honour featuring many cakes, fanfare, photoshoots, among others.