Feyisayo Ogunbiyi
The former Director-General of the National Youth Service Corps, Brigadier General Maharazu Tsiga (retd.), has recounted how he narrowly escaped death during his 56-day ordeal in captivity, attributing his survival to divine intervention.
Tsiga, who was abducted alongside nine other residents from his hometown, Tsiga, in the Bakori Local Government Area of Katsina State on February 5, was reunited with his family in Abuja on Thursday.
The reunion, facilitated by the National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, also saw 18 other victims regain freedom.
Speaking on his harrowing experience, Tsiga said surviving the terrorists’ den was nothing short of a miracle, stressing that death loomed constantly—either from the abductors or wild animals in the mountainous hideout where they were held.
“The day before yesterday, on the mountain I was staying, unexpectedly, we just looked around and saw a hyena parading around us to get its food. And which kind of food? We, the human beings,” he said.
The retired army general painted a grim picture of life in captivity, revealing that he and other victims often shared their sleeping space with venomous snakes and scorpions.
He disclosed that he was singled out by the terrorists during military offensives due to his rank, as they often used him and other high-profile captives as human shields.
“Whenever they are being attacked, sincerely speaking, they bring us out so that the aircraft can hit us. But you know God is merciful,” he said.
According to him, a rocket once fired at their location failed to detonate. Instead, the terrorists placed it where he usually slept, hoping he would trigger an explosion upon contact. “And that is why I told us, God is merciful,” he added.
Tsiga also lamented the poor treatment they received, saying the food they were given posed health risks. He alleged that the terrorists viewed government officials and those in uniform as cash cows.
“They told us that for those of us in uniform, government is always putting money for them to keep. That was their mentality,” he said.
He further revealed that the only thing the terrorists feared was military aircraft, noting that they had no fear of God but trembled at the sight or sound of air raids.
The former NYSC DG called on Nigerians to view security as a shared responsibility, urging collective efforts to confront the nation’s worsening insecurity.
“We should not sit down and believe that the government can do it alone. We must do it ourselves. So we thank Almighty God for giving us this opportunity to live again,” he said.
The National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, has yet to release further details on the rescue operation or ongoing efforts to curb rising abductions across the country.
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