A former Director-General of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) Brig.-Gen. Maharazu Tsiga (Rtd) yesterday shared a chilling experience he had while in kidnappers den.

Tsiga said his captors once planted a bomb close to him hoping it would explode on its own and kill him.

 “God was merciful to me. The bomb did not explode.  I survived,” he said after he was united with his family by National Security Adviser (NSA)  Nuhu Ribadu Ribadu at the National Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC) in Abuja yesterday.   

He was among 17 freed kidnap victims reunited with their loved ones.

Tsiga, who was NYSC boss between  2009 and 2011 was in kidnappers captivity for 56 days.

He also spoke on how his captors stormed his country home in Bakori Local Government Area of Katsina State on February 5, 2025, and blew its entrance with explosives.

The 72-year-old general added that one thing strange thing about the kidnappers was that they fear aircraft and not God.

His words: “One thing I have to say here is that the terrorists don’t fear God, but they fear aircraft.

“They will tell you, don’t call God for us, just give us money. But immediately they see aircraft, they and even their cows will run.’’

Predicting that terrorists, bandits and other criminals would meet their Waterloo, he enjoined Nigerians to support the military in their routing.  

‘’As much as the government is doing the best it can, we should try as much as possible to support them,” he said.

Tsiga cautioned serving and retired military personnel to continuously take their security seriously as criminals always believe they have money in their houses.

 “For my colleagues, you better listen. They said those of us who were in uniform, the government was always giving us money to keep. And that is why they tried to open my house. They couldn’t. They had to use explosives,” he added.

While thanking security agents for rescuing them,  he urged younger military officers to work harder to secure the country.

Tsiga promised that even at his age he would still serve Nigeria if called upon.    

At the handover, Ribadu lauded members of the joint military task force.

Director of Defence Media Operations, Maj. Gen. Markus Kangye, who was also at the event, dismissed reports that Niger Republic had withdrawn from the Multinational Joint Task Force. 

At the handover of the freed victims, Ribadu said the military would not allow evil to prevail in the country.

He said: “We have done a couple of handovers in the past as a result of the work of our Armed Forces and other security services. 

“Now, we have done it again. This time, it involves very powerful and important personalities who served this country and who did well for all of us. 

‘’Evil will not prevail. It’s a matter of time. We will continue to go after the bad ones.  These people have been rescued, but those perpetrators of this evil will pay for it, dearly.’’ 

Defence Media Operations spokesman, Maj. Gen.  Kangye clarified at the event that the MNJTF remained a critical regional security collaboration and that efforts must be made to prevent any member state from leaving.

The MNJTF was formed in 1994 by countries of the Lake Chard Commission (Niger, Nigeria, Chad and Cameroon and Benin Republic) to fight terrorism and other trans-border crimes. 

Kangye said: “When you hear ‘they said’, it means the information lacks credibility. I think this area has been a subject of discourse for the past few months, especially when some members of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) decided to form an alliance and attempted to exit ECOWAS.  

“Nigeria has been making significant efforts to ensure the sustainability of this task force. However, if for any reason a member decides to pull out, the implications will be substantial. The synergy we are supposed to enjoy may no longer be there. 

“It is not in our interest for any country to leave because whatever affects them also affects us. If a country withdraws, it creates a gap in effort and reduces the strength of the contingent from that country.

“Therefore, efforts must be made to prevent such a situation from happening.   We will continue to examine the situation, and as we always do, we will provide further briefings when necessary. “

He reassured Nigerians that security forces arrest all bandit and terror leaders, including Bello Turji.

Kangye dismissed claims that the military  downscaled operations against herdsmen, terrorists and cattle rustlers.

He also refuted allegations that soldiers wounded in action had been neglected.

“I can also tell you that the DHQ   is taking good care of the sick and wounded. Some of them that require medical evacuation abroad are taken abroad for treatment. Some went to Egypt, some went to Turkey and  I remember  some are in India.’’

Chief of Defence Staff (CDS)  Gen.  Christopher Musa also assured that the military would ensure that all kidnap victims are rescued and reunited with their families.

 “As we celebrate those of them that are here today (yesterday), I want to assure Nigerians that we will not sleep until every Nigerian is free in this country,’’Musa said.

[TheNation]