Former Director-General of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), General Maharazu Tsiga (rtd), has shared chilling details of his abduction and the horrifying conditions he endured during 56 days in captivity.
Speaking in Abuja on Thursday during the handover of 19 rescued victims to their families, Tsiga recounted the trauma he faced after being kidnapped on February 5, 2025, from his hometown of Tisga in the Bakori Local Government Area of Katsina State.
In an emotionally charged address, the retired military officer revealed that just a day before his release, he and other hostages were surrounded by hyenas while held on a remote mountain.
“A day before I left there, that is, the day before yesterday, on the mountain where I was staying, unexpectedly, we looked around and saw hyenas parading, searching for food. And what kind of food? Us, the human beings,” he said.
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Tsiga also described frequent encounters with deadly creatures such as snakes and scorpions, which added to the fear and suffering of the captives.
According to him, the kidnappers often used high-profile hostages as human shields during military aerial offensives.
“Whenever they were being attacked, sincerely speaking, they brought us out so that the aircraft could target us. But you know, God is merciful,” he stated. “The NSA has said it, and the CDS has said it – the good ones will continue to live.”
In one terrifying incident, he narrated how a rocket, aimed at their location but failed to detonate, was deliberately placed beside him while he slept in an attempt to kill him upon waking.
“They carried that rocket to where I was sleeping and hid it there so that immediately I woke up and touched it, it would explode. But God is merciful,” he said.
Tsiga disclosed that the assailants justified the attack on his home with the belief that officials in uniform have access to government funds.
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“They made claims that some of us are in uniform, and the government is always putting money for us to keep. And that is why they tried to open my house. They cannot, and they had to use explosives to break into my house.”
He further recounted that the kidnappers showed no reverence for God, demanding money while mocking any invocation of divine help.
“They don’t fear God. They tell you not to call God for them, just give them money. But immediately they see aircraft, even their cows start running.”
Describing the extreme conditions of their confinement, Tsiga said they were given food only once a week—mostly Tuwo Dawa—and he suffered severely due to lack of medical care and poor nutrition.
“I am hypotensive, and the only thing they could use was salt. Even if you are not a doctor, you know that there are foods people with hypertension should not eat. Now, look at me; I cannot climb these steps. It is all as a result of the salt and the beatings we endured.”
Tsiga used the platform to call for a united front in tackling insecurity across the country.
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“We should not sit down and believe that the government can do it alone. We must contribute. Security is a collective responsibility.”
He appealed to citizens to assist security agencies by providing timely and credible intelligence, stressing that security personnel depend on such information to act effectively.
“They are not magicians,” he said. “They rely on good information to act.”
Tsiga also disclosed that the kidnappers feared aircraft more than they feared God.