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FLASHBACK: How Bandits’ Leader Behind Kankara Schoolboys' Abduction, Auwalun 'Defrauded' Zamfara Govt Of Millions Of Naira

Daudawa and his gang had in December 2020 invaded the school, abducting over 300 students.

Auwalun Daudawa, the leader of the gang of bandits that abducted over 300 schoolboys in the Kankara Local Government Area of Katsina State who surrendered some weapons and ‘repented’ in February has picked up arms again because he was not satisfied with subsequent engagements with the government.

 

Daudawa and his gang had in December 2020 invaded the school, abducting over 300 students.

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Months after, Daudawa and members of his group took an oath to stop banditry and embrace the peace accord instituted by Governor Bello Matawalle of Zamfara state to end the decade-old banditry in the North-West region.

 

He and his lieutenants surrendered 20 AK 47 rifles, ammunition and a rocket-propelled grenade (RPG) launcher to the Zamfara state government.

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Days after, SaharaReporters exposed how he was paid millions of naira to surrender.

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Though Auwalun, while speaking after he took an oath of repentance claimed he was not given a kobo, sources pricy to the negotiation between him and the state government said he was paid millions of naira as compensation for some of his gang members killed by security operatives.

 

“He claimed many of his boys were killed by security operatives and asked the government to compensate him so that he can have money to take care of the family members of those killed.

 

“He also requested for money to buy cows for his boys to keep them busy,” the source had said.

Daudawa and his gang on December 11, 2020 invaded Government Science Secondary School, Kankara around 11 pm, shooting indiscriminately to scare residents.

 

The operation led to the disappearance of over 300 students.

 

The abduction happened when President Muhammadu Buhari was visiting his home state of Katsina.

 

After their release on December 17, 2020, Governor Matawalle said the schoolboys were rescued with the help of Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) and that no ransom was paid.

 

Katsina State governor, Aminu Bello Masari, also said insinuations that ransom was paid for the release of the boys from their abductors were false.

 

However, in a leaked telephone conversation between Auwalun Daudawa and a former caretaker chairman of the Jibia Local Government Area of Katsina state, Haruna Musa Mota, the bandits' commander admitted the group collected N30 million from the state government.

 

When told by Mota that some government officials claimed N800 million was given to the group, he exclaimed and said, “You said what? N800 million? How many millions again? Who said that? So, they paid N30 million and claimed N800 million, now they have stopped cattle rearing.”

 

Responding, the former council boss said, “I will send you the speech and I will advise you speak out so citizens will know you did what you did for peace and what they paid you was N30 million. This is not fair at all, they call us thieves while they are the real thieves. We want peace but this governor has no integrity.”

 

Mota was arrested a few days later over alleged ties with bandits.

 

Auwalun Daudawa and his lieutenants have now returned to the forest and his old ways by picking up arms again. 

 

He and his lieutenants have thereby abandoned the amnesty programme of the state government despite the huge pay collected from the government.