The National Counter-Terrorism Centre (NCTC) on Thursday formally handed over the former Director-General of National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Brigadier General Maharazu Tsiga (rtd) to the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu at a brief ceremony in Abuja, lamenting that they saw hell and kept alongside hyenas, snakes and scorpions.
He also said that “whenever troops attacked them, they would bring us out and use us as human shields, hoping to get us killed by the military strikes. They wanted us to be hit by the aircraft.”
Taiga, who regained his freedom after spending 56 days in captivity, was handed over alongside a former Ambassador and other victims, who were kidnapped by terrorists operating in the Northwest region of the country.
The former NYSC boss was abducted from his hometown in Bakori Local Government Area (LGA) of Katsina state, on February 5, 2025 kidnapped alongside nine other residents.
However, after payment of ransom by his family, his abductors still held him captive for weeks.
There were conflicting figures regarding the ransom paid earlier.
While some claimed the sum of N60m was paid, Daily Trust reliably learnt that the actual money paid for his release is thrice higher than that.
A close family member told our correspondent that after receiving the money, the kidnappers kept mum for one week before contacting the family, where they put the General on phone to speak with them.
“The money was taken to them and it was only after one week, that was on Tuesday March 11, that they called and we heard his voice,” the source revealed.
He added that the kidnappers had called though to demand for more money, which he said was not given to them. Nothing was actually added.
Meanwhile, General Tsiga has recounted his harrowing experience in the hands of the terrorists and kidnappers, revealing that he and other abductees were held in a dense forest surrounded by hills, teeming with dangerous animals.
Describing his survival as nothing short of divine intervention, the 72-year-old said: “We were kept with dangerous animals—hyenas, snakes, and scorpions. A day before I was released, just the day before yesterday, while on the mountain where I was staying, we suddenly noticed a hyena circling us, looking for food. And what kind of food? Us, human beings.
“Throughout our time there, we constantly lived with snakes and scorpions. But the most terrifying experience was how they treated those of us whose ranks they knew. Whenever troops attacked them, they would bring us out and use us as human shields, hoping to get us killed by the military strikes. They wanted us to be hit by the aircraft. But God is merciful.
“The National Security Adviser (NSA) and the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) have said it – the good ones will survive, and ultimately, the bad ones will meet their end.”
Tsiga further narrated a particularly chilling experience involving an unexploded rocket: “During an airstrike, a rocket was fired at the terrorists, but it didn’t explode. Instead, they carried the unexploded rocket and placed it where I was sleeping, hiding it in a way that if I touched it, it would detonate. Yet, by God’s mercy, I survived.”
He also highlighted the kidnappers’ belief that military officers have access to government funds, which led them to attack his home.
“They believe that those of us in uniform are given money by the government. That’s why they tried to break into my house. They couldn’t, so they went to my home in Kaduna and used explosives to destroy it, including the gates.”
Speaking on behalf of the 18 other rescued victims, Tsiga expressed gratitude to the National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, and the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Christopher Musa, emphasizing that security is a collective responsibility.
“We must not assume that the government can do it all alone. Everyone must contribute by providing intelligence and information. The NSA and the CDS are not magicians; they need timely and accurate reports to act upon,” he said.
Speaking before handing them over, the NCTC Coordinator, Major General Adamu Laka, explained that the security forces from the military, DSS, police and other agencies worked round the clock to ensure they were rescued.
Written with additional reports from Vanguard, Daily Trust
