Insecurity: Repentant bandits kingpin reveals what they do with ransom

A repentant bandits kingpin, Auwal Daudawa who hails from Zurmi in Zamfara State, said they took ransom after kidnap operation to buy weapons and continue with their activities.

The kingpin who was behind abduction of 340 students from Kankara in Katsina State in an interview said, they did that to show the Katsina State governor, Hon. Bello Masari, who vowed not to negotiate with bandits.

He expressed frustration that he got into banditry because the previous Zamfara State government controlled vigilantes took away 40 of his cows in addition to those that were rustled, adding that it was the means of his livelihood that was taken away.

Asked how, arms get to them, Daudawa said, “getting arms is as simple as getting bread”, revealing that they got arms from within.

Aged, 26 years, the kingpin explained that he repented out of the fear of God and he is seeking forgiveness of ills that he did, adding that he was not afraid to die, if government decided to take him to justice for what he has done.

He explained what pushed him into criminal activities to be injustice by the privileged people in the society, while he also revealed that more bandits were ready to come out of their camps in the forest, depending on what happened to him.

Speaking on his experiences in the jungle, the repentant criminal stressed that there was nothing he need that was difficult for him, saying living in the forest was a home away from home.

Part of the interview, he granted said: “It was security agents who did it. I wouldn’t know who sent them, but it was during the last administration in Zamfara State that my cows were confiscated.

“Security personnel and yan-sa-kai ­(vigilantes) were the ones who took away the cattle. I told them that they should scrutinise the herd, and if they found any cow belonging to another person they should not spare me.

“They did not find any stolen cow, but they kept the entire herd. They were stolen. Tell me, what would I do with my life then?”

“They should be around 40, with their calves. Some even belonged to some other persons who gave me to take care of them.

“I was dependent on Allah and those cattle, but they took away everything. This was why I sold off my remaining assets and bought a gun to start banditry.”

“Guns come from all over. It is just like cars that come from all over the world.

“Arms come from all angles: Niger, here in Nigeria; it is everywhere.”

According him, they must use the money they had to buy arms to defend themselves and continue fighting.

He denied having any link with Boko Haram fighters as a result of speculation linking them with the terrorists following the kidnap of Kankara Schoolboys.

Daudawa also denied taking any ransom before the Schoolboys were released, saying that the mediator was somebody close to him, who he highly respected.