Mary Daniel: Lagos Detects Lies In Amputee Hawker’s Claims, Seizes N25m Donation

Claims by Mary Daniel, the Oshodi amputee hawker that she lost a leg in an accident that killed all passengers, including her parents when she was a teenager, have been discovered as false, The Nation learnt on Wednesday evening.

Daniel became a sensation weeks ago after pictures of her selling water at Oshodi emerged on social media and attracted sympathy from Nigerians across the world.

Daniel, in an interview, claimed she was an orphan with a baby and an aged grandmother to fend for.

She narrated how life dealt her several blows and she had to drop out of school and hit the streets to make ends meet.

Following her harrowing tales, Nigerians started donating money through her bank account made public with about N25m raised.

This prompted the state government to immediately shelter her to prevent criminals from taking advantage of her sudden fortune.

Just few days ago, a celebrity birthday party was held in her honour featuring many cakes, fanfare, photoshoots, among others.

All was going well for the young lady until the state government discovered on Thursday her father was alive.

It was also detected she was amputated from birth.

It was gathered Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu immediately handed her over to officials of the social welfare for investigation following revelations her case was staged.

Daniel, it was gathered, was 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.

Commissioner of Police Hakeem Odumosu told The Nation 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, 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.

“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.

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Myanmar Seeks Murder, Treason Charges Against Protest Leader; Air Strikes In East

Myanmar authorities are seeking to file charges of murder and treason against one of the main leaders of the protest campaign against military rule, the state broadcaster said on Wednesday.

Wai Moe Naing was arrested on April 15 when security men rammed him with a car as he led a motorbike protest rally in the central town of Monywa.

Myanmar Television, in its main evening news bulletin, broadcast a list of charges being sought against him, including murder and treason, that it said had been filed with police.

Wai Moe Naing, a 25-year-old Muslim, has emerged as one of the most high-profile leaders of opposition to the Feb. 1 coup that overhrew an elected government led by Aung San Suu Kyi.

It is not clear if he has a lawyer.

Pro-democracy protests have taken place in cities and towns across the country since the coup, with Monywa one of the main centres of opposition.

The military has cracked down with lethal force on the protesters, killing more than 750 people, an activist group says. Reuters is unable to confirm the casualty toll.

Fighting has also intensified between the military and ethnic minority Karen insurgents in the east with more air strikes sending villagers fleeing into neighbouring Thailand, Thai officials said.

Earlier on Wednesday, Myanmar’s pro-democracy unity government, formed to oppose the junta, ruled out talks on the crisis until all political prisoners are released.

The 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), alarmed by the turmoil in one of its members, has been trying to find a path for Myanmar out of the crisis and held a meeting on Saturday in the Indonesian capital with the leader of the junta, Senior General Min Aung Hlaing.

The pro-democracy National Unity Government (NUG), which includes members of parliament ousted by the coup, was not invited to the talks. It said ASEAN should be engaging with it as the legitimate representative of the people.

“Before any constructive dialogue can take place, however, there must be an unconditional release of political prisoners including President U Win Myint and State Counsellor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi,” the NUG prime minister, Minister Mahn Winn Khaing Thann, said in a statement.

There was no immediate comment from any senior ASEAN official, and a spokesman for the Myanmar military did not answer calls seeking comment.

Win Myint, Suu Kyi and others have been detained since the coup, which the military launched as her government was preparing for a second term after sweeping a November election.

The military said it had to seize power because its complaints of election fraud were not addressed by an election commission that deemed the vote fair.

The Assistance Association for Political Prisoners advocacy group says more than 3,400 people have been detained for

opposing the coup.

ASEAN leaders said after the weekend meeting that they had had reached a “five-point consensus” on steps to end violence and promote dialogue between the Myanmar rivals.

But the junta declined to accept the ASEAN proposals, saying it would consider them “when the situation returns to stability” and provided the recommendations facilitated the military’s own roadmap.

Protesters marched in support of the NUG in the second city of Mandalay, the Myanmar Now media outlet reported.

There was no report of violence at the protest but two small bombs – one in Mandalay and one in the main city of Yangon – later wounded several people, media reported.

There was no claim of responsibility.

Karen insurgents captured Myanmar army posts near the Thai border on Tuesday in some of the most intense clashes since the coup which included air strikes by the military.

More air strikes on Wednesday, with warplanes and helicopters, forced about 100 villagers to the Thai side of the border, Thai authorities said.

The Karen and other ethnic minority forces based in frontier regions have supported the largely urban-based pro-democracy opponents of the junta.

Clashes have also broken out in Chin State, which is on the border with India, between anti-coup activists and security forces. Myanmar Now reported 30 government soldiers were killed in four days of clashes there.

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