>
Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has directed the State Police Command to take over the case of amputee sachet water hawker, Mary Daniels, who recently received donations from Nigerians due to her situation, following discrepancies discovered in her story.
The state government took the action after investigations revealed that the amputee was not telling a true story about herself and the life she had been living before help from the public and government intervention came her way.
The development came to light when some of the people she had a deal with started calling repeatedly, demanding for their own share of the donations she received from members of the public or else they would expose her.
After the discovery, the governor directed a Kogi State traditional leader in Lagos, a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), Irede Foundation, to further investigate the story and keep a tab on her movements
Daniels was subsequently handed over to the traditional leader and Foundation on Wednesday with about N25 million in her private account.
The Office of Special Adviser on Civic Engagement was also directed by the governor to handle the case and follow it to the latter.
Meanwhile, Commissioner of Police (CP)in the state, Hakeem Odumosu, has 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.
“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 said.