Auwalu Salisu, a 22-year-old Kano tricyle operator who recently discovered and returned N15 million left in his tricyle by a passenger, said he called the owner six times to return the money.
Auwalu, a resident of Yankaba in the state’s Nasarawa local government area, stated that he transported the Chadian passenger and owner of the money from Badawa to Sabon Gari market (Bata), and that he had no idea his passenger had forgotten the money until he stopped to clean his tricyle.
The tricyclist stated that he returned the money after hearing an announcement about the missing money on a radio station and being given contact information to return the money.
Auwalu stated that after receiving the numbers, he dialed the first number five times but received no response, so he dialed 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 tricyle at Yankaba roundabout when I noticed a sack in my tricycle. Upon touching it, I noticed something soft. I opened and discovered it was money. Fortunately, after dropping them, 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 radio house to make announcement but he suggested that we wait until owners make announcement of the missing money then we return it through the number made available.
“Since on Thursday, it was on Saturday they made announcement about the missing money. Already, my mum is an ardent listner 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. So I thought of trying the second line and that was when the call was picked. When he answered the call, he was sounding harsh but when I told him am a tricyclist, so 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 are 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 don’t want his name disclosed gave me a brand new tricycle.
“Some people called me mad man because I returned the money. They went ahead to say that i will live and die poor.
“Let me use this opportunity to call on the youths to shun desperation in making quick money or getting rich over night through unholy means but should strive hard for wealth through legal means,” the tricyclist, Auwalu Salisu narrated.
Meanwhile, the Kano State chapter of 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 of nowadays is absymal and disgusting but could find exemplary in Auwalu who came from a poor family but despite their condition found it worth to return 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 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 denomination of over 10 million CFA and N2.9 million.