Governor Bello Matawalle of Zamfara has been accused of paying millions of naira to the mastermind of the abduction of Kankara schoolboys, Auwalun Daudawa, to facilitate his repentance.
Recall that Daudawa, while taking his oath of acceptance, had said he accepted to surrender his arms and ammunitions because of the sincerity of the state governor, Bello Matawalle.
He stated that said his gang voluntarily surrendered and was not forced to accept the amnesty granted to them by the governor.
He added that his lieutenants are not seeking money from any individual, group, or government, saying that his gang surrendered 20 AK 47 rifles, ammunition, and a rocket-propelled grenade (RPG) launcher.
But sources familiar with the negotiation told SaharaReporters Daudawa 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,” a source said.
Auwalun Daudawa and his gang on December 11, 2020 allegedly invaded Government Science Secondary School, Kankara around 11 pm and abducted 344 students.
After their release on December 17, 2020, Bello Matawalle, governor of Zamfara, said the schoolboys were rescued with the help of Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) and that no ransom was paid.
However, in a leaked telephone conversation between Auwalun and a former caretaker chairman of the Jibia Local Government Area of Katsina state, Haruna Musa Mota, the bandits’ commander admitted collecting N30m 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? N800m? How many millions again? Who said that? So, they paid N30 million and claimed N800m, 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.”
The former Katsina council boss has been arrested for collaborating with bandits.