Maharazu Tsiga, the former Director-General of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), has shared his harrowing experience after spending 56 days in the hands of kidnappers. Tsiga was abducted on February 5, 2025, from his hometown of Tisga in the Bakori Local Government Area of Katsina State. He was freed on Wednesday, and on Thursday, he recounted the ordeal he and other captives endured while in captivity.
Speaking in Abuja during the handover of 19 rescued victims to their families, Tsiga revealed chilling details of his captivity. He described an unsettling encounter with hyenas, which appeared the day before his release, roaming the area where he and other hostages were held, seemingly searching for food — “Us, the human beings,” Tsiga said. The hostages also had to contend with dangerous wildlife, including snakes and scorpions, during their time in the forest.
Tsiga recounted how the kidnappers used the hostages as human shields during aerial attacks. “Whenever they were being attacked, they brought us out so that the aircraft could target us,” he said. Miraculously, despite the risks, Tsiga said God protected them, and they survived several dangerous encounters.
One particularly terrifying moment came when the kidnappers placed a rocket near Tsiga’s sleeping area, intending for it to explode when he touched it. “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,” Tsiga recalled.
The former NYSC DG also described how the kidnappers believed government officials, especially those in uniform, had access to money. This belief led them to break into his house with explosives. “They made claims that some of us are in uniform, and the government is always putting money for us to keep,” Tsiga explained.
During the months in captivity, Tsiga and his fellow hostages were given food only once a week, and Tsiga, who is hypertensive, suffered greatly due to the lack of proper food. He stated that the only food provided was Tuwo Dawa, a type of millet porridge. “It was all as a result of the salt and the beatings we endured,” he said, emphasizing how the lack of proper nutrition affected his health.
Tsiga highlighted the need for collective security efforts, urging citizens to support the government in tackling insecurity by providing timely and accurate intelligence to security agencies. “Security is a collective responsibility,” he said. “We should not sit down and believe that the government can do it alone.”
Ambassador Gideon Yohana, a former Deputy Head of Mission in Pretoria, South Africa, who was also rescued, expressed gratitude for the work of the security agencies. He acknowledged the Federal Government’s efforts and noted improvements in security in states such as Zamfara, Sokoto, Katsina, and Niger. He also mentioned hearing about the successful rescue of a General while in captivity, expressing thanks to the security forces for their continued efforts in securing peace across the nation.
