Rewards Galore For Tri-cyclist Who Returned Missing N15m To Passenger

• Says I called the owner six times to return the money
• Kano ACF, anonymous donor, others commend conduct

The 22-year-old Kano tricycle operator, Auwalu Salisu who recently found and returned N15 million forgotten in his tricycle by a passenger, said he had to call the owner six times for him to come for his missing money.

Auwalu, a resident of Yankaba in the Nasarawa local government area of the state, said, he transported the Chadian passenger and owner of the money from the Badawa area to Sabon Gari market (Bata), and after dropping them never suspected that his passenger had forgotten the money until when he stopped to clean his tricycle.

The tricyclist said he returned the money after an announcement about the missing money was made on a radio station and where numbers to be contacted to return the money were called out.

Auwalu said after retrieving the numbers, he called the first number five times but no response and decided to call the second number before the call was answered.

According to him, “I conveyed three passengers in my tricycle from Badawa Layout to somewhere before Bata in Sabon Gari market. I dropped them and left after they paid me. I stopped to clean my tricycle at the Yankaba roundabout when I noticed a sack in my tricycle. Upon touching it, I noticed something soft. I opened it and discovered it was money. Fortunately, after dropping them off, I returned without passengers.

“So I proceeded home to show my mom the money. She asked me to take it to my Dad. I went to meet my dad who sells meat around the roundabout. He (my Dad) also called his elder brother to brief him about the development. So they said I should go back to the spot where I dropped the passengers maybe I could trace and find them.

“We got there and waited for several hours but couldn’t find them. So I suggested we go to the radio house to make the announcement but he suggested that we wait until the owners make the announcement of the missing money then we return it through the number made available.

“Since on Thursday, it was on Saturday they made the announcement about the missing money. Already, my mum is an ardent listener of the radio station. So when the announcement was made she recorded it and called me to give me the numbers that could be reached to return the missing money.

“I picked one of the numbers. I called five times they didn’t pick up. So I thought of trying the second line and that was when the call was picked. When he answered the call, he sounded harsh but when I told him I was a tricyclist, we exchanged pleasantries and he asked me where am I. So that they could come, collect the money, and reward me. So I told him no, that since the announcement was made through a radio station, we should meet at the station.

“It was when we certified that they were the owner (I recognize them and they recognize me) before we handed the money to them. They thanked me and rewarded me with N400,000.

“It was not true that I was compensated with a house. But it was true that another good Samaritan who does not want his name disclosed gave me a brand new tricycle.

“Some people called me madman because I returned the money. They went ahead to say that I would live and die poor.

“Let me use this opportunity to call on the youths to shun desperation in making quick money or getting rich overnight through unholy means but should strive hard for wealth through legal means,” the tricyclist, Auwalu Salisu narrated.

Meanwhile, the Kano State chapter of the Arewa Consultative Forum, ACF has rewarded the tricyclist with the cheque of N100,000 for the good character and exemplary exhibited by returning the money.

The ACF Chairman, Dr. Goni Umar Farouq said the character of children nowadays is abysmal and disgusting but could be found exemplary in Auwalu who came from a poor family but despite their condition found it worth returning the money (N15 million) to the owner.

Similarly, the Kano State Public Complaint and Anti-Corruption Commission under the chairmanship of Bar. Muhuyi Rimingado appointed him ambassador of the anti-graft agency in addition to a reward of N100,000.

On their part, the Kano State House of Assembly lawmakers had promised to contribute a percentage from their salaries to the tricycle rider, Auwalu Salisu.

It was gathered that the missing money was in the denomination of over 10 million CFA and N2.9 million. – Culled from Vanguard newspaper