Man behind Kankara schoolboys’ abduction surrenders – Officials

The mastermind behind the abduction of over 300 students from Government Science School, Kankara, Katsina State has surrendered with his gang, officials said on Tuesday.

The students were abducted last December when President Muhammadu Buhari visited his hometown Daura in Katsina.

Auwalun Daudawa surrendered to local officials on Monday with six of his gang members, the local government spokesman said in a statement.

“In a brief ceremony at the premises of the Governor’s office… Auwalun Daudawa handed over the weapons and also… swore with the Holy Quran not to revert to his old ways,” spokesman Zailani Bappa said.

Daudawa and his comrades surrendered 20 Kalashnikovs and other weapons.

The statement said Daudawa’s surrender was part of the amnesty offered to bandits.

Security sources told AFP that Daudawa, 43, carried out the abductions on the order of Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau.

Although several escaped, most of the Kankara schoolboys were released after days in captivity following negotiations between the abductors and officials of Zamfara and Katsina states.