Daudawa also denied that his group collected ransom before releasing the over 300 abducted students
Auwal Daudawa, the mastermind of the abduction of unarmed students of the Government Science Secondary School, Kankara, Katsina State, has said he led the operation because Governor Bello Masari dared his men, according to Daily Trust NG.
Daudawa told the newspaper that he wanted to prove to the government that he had the capacity to carry out such an attack.
He said Governor Masari made the option of dialoguing with group impossible, hence, he wanted to show the governor what they were capable of doing.
“I have never done that kind of mass abduction in Zamfara. I did that in Katsina because the governor came out to say he will not dialogue again with our people.
“So, we said since they said they were not interested in a peace deal and they were sending military jets to torment our people and destroy what we had, we should take the battle to those who are not interested in peace,” Daudawa said.
He said, “I did that to demonstrate that I had the capacity to do it and I was not afraid of anybody other than Allah. It was for the government, and the whole world to know that we could do it but were hitherto not interested in something like that.”
According to Daily Trust, Daudawa also denied that his group collected ransom before releasing the over 300 abducted students, challenging anyone who has contrary evidence to speak up.
“After the abduction you could see that I was not difficult to come around during talks because I did not do it because of money. If it were for money, I would not have released them even for N2 trillion. The whole world knows, if I was given money it would be known, if I was not given it is also known. It cannot be hidden,” he said.
He reportedly laid down arms after the raid and kidnap of innocent school children in Kankara, Katsina State.
Daudawa, before calling quit armed banditry, led a gang of bandits that had a base in Dumburum forest in Zurmi Local Government Area of Zamfara State.
His gang also terrorised residents and road users at Zurmi-Gidan Jaja and Jibia axis of the state.
He is now a ‘repentant’ bandit…
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