28-year-old Salisu Abdulhadi came to limelight following the discovery of a bag containing cash and valuables while on his duty as okada rider in Kankia Local Government of Katsina.
Salisu, who is currently performing the Hajj pilgrimage in Makkah, said he would not have witnessed the life-changing event that led to encomiums and financial grants if he had succumbed to his whims.
But it all started after he dropped a passenger off, and on his way back, he discovered a bag lying on the side of the road. His curiosity heightened as he was sure the bag was not there when he passed earlier.
Upon lifting it from its position, he felt the heaviness and decided to peep inside. To his surprise, it contained cash of different currencies, with some he had never seen before, which he said was N100 million.
His first instinct was to wait at the spot to see if the owner would retrace their step while in search of it.
After an hour without any, he decided to go home with it and the first person he told was his mother who advised it should be reported to the police station in their area.
“The money was kept in my room during the period but we did not disclose the amount inside but kept on making calls that someone lost a bag with some money,” he said.
He said they decided not to reveal the money to prevent drawing attention to his family and from those who might have their eyes on it.
Having such an amount with him brought anxiety with regular sleep evading him during the period. “I was disturbed as the money was in the room. It was very difficult to have money that does not belong to me,” he said.
One month after, he had a sigh of relief after the owner was found after making a perfect description of the content in it.
“She described the amount of money and the types of currency. She was able to describe where and when she misplaced the bag, its colour and other things that were inside. She mentioned some other things I was not aware of despite the bag spending a month with me,” he said.
In a show of appreciation, the owner gave him some money which he rejected. He however said his rejection was misinterpreted.
“She gave me some amounts to appreciate me but I refused to take it from her, telling her I did it for the sake of God. But she felt I was trying to belittle what she gave me. She opened the bag and asked me to take whatever amount I wanted from it. I still repeated the statement but she flared up, saying I am not a good person.
“I did not collect the money despite knowing it is lawful because we are taught in the aid group not to collect any gift for what we do. It is in the constitution that whatever we find we should not go with it and if you are given a gift, you can’t collect it except it is given by a superior.”
It was after the episode that leaders of Aides Group of Jama’atu Izalatul Bidi’ah Wa Ikamatus Sunnah (JIBWIS) got the news of what transpired.
His new found glory was yet to wane when he was summoned by the National Director of JIBWIS, Engr Mustapha Imam Sitti.
“He interviewed me then invited me for the national conference of JIBWIS in Bauchi State. It was there that the National Chairman of JIBWIS, Sheik Abdullahi Bala Lau, extolled my action. I was given an award and he subsequently announced that he would pay for my Hajj this year. When the governor of Bauchi State visited the conference, he also gave me a new hummer bus,” he said.
He stated that his life trajectory has changed since the event and he is hoping to fulfil his ambition of completing his tertiary education having completed his NCE.
“I also want to be able to help people wherever I am. I always pray that Allah will make me a reason to wipe the tears of people.
“Since the event occurred, a lot of things have happened to me. After the conference, a legislator in Katsina State, Hon. Salisu Hamza Rimaye, took me to the House of Assembly where I was honoured; the house speaker also gave me his seat to sit. The house also wrote to the state governor to give me a job as I have portrayed the state in good light,” he said.
While appreciating Allah for increasing him in wealth through holding on trust, he called on youth to be trustworthy as it pays because “whatever that is destined for you will definitely find you and you don’t have to steal to get it.”
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