Nollywood actress Sarah Martins has revealed that Seyi Tinubu, son of Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu, gave her ₦20 million to support her charity initiative just a day after she was apprehended by Lagos State environmental officers for violating public sanitation laws.
Sarah Martins, who is known for her charitable street cooking for the homeless, was detained on Thursday by the Lagos State Environmental Sanitation Corps (LAGESC/KAI) while conducting a free-food outreach along Admiralty Way, Lekki Phase 1.
According to the Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, her activity breached Objective Four of the LAGESC/KAI Law, which prohibits cooking or vending food on public roads or pavements.
Wahab explained that although the state appreciates humanitarian gestures, “such initiatives must be conducted in compliance with environmental and safety regulations.”
Following her arrest, videos posted on Instagram showed officers seizing her cooking equipment as a crowd gathered.
Martins later claimed she was bullied and harassed during the confrontation and that she sustained minor burns from spilled hot oil. She insisted she was not selling food, but rather feeding vulnerable people as part of her Golden Heart Foundation charity.
“My only offence was serving love on a plate through my healthy meals,” she wrote.
“I just wanted to put smiles on the faces of families who wake up not knowing where their next meal will come from.”
The following day, a woman presented Martins with an envelope containing ₦20 million, stating it was a donation from Seyi Tinubu.
In the accompanying video, the representative said Tinubu admired her humanitarian work and wanted her to establish a proper kitchen where she could safely continue her outreach.
“He said you’ll be able to get a shop with this, where you can continue your cooking and scale your production. He also promised to equip it with industrial tools,” the woman explained.
In her reaction, a visibly emotional Martins described the support as a “from disgrace to grace” moment.
“From the office of the President, our philanthropic youth leader, Mr. Seyi Tinubu, just supported my NGO with ₦20 million. He also promised to take my charity to the next level,” she said.
Authorities, however, maintained that the enforcement was not politically motivated, saying that similar operations have been carried out under the #KeepLagosClean and #ZeroToleranceLagos campaigns.
Wahab reiterated that unauthorized use of public spaces poses risks to public safety and urban order.
“The government appreciates community support but insists all activities, even charitable ones, must adhere to state regulations,” he stated.
Martins has since confirmed that she plans to rent a space for her charity operations in compliance with Lagos laws and continue her outreach “within the system.”
Who is Sarah Martins?
Sarah Martins, whose full name is Chukwukere Sarah Ujunwa, is a Nollywood actress and philanthropist from Imo State.
She began acting in 2004 and is known for films such as The Widows, The Gods Are Wise, and Family Lies.
