Abductors demand N250m to release ex-NYSC DG

A whooping sum of N250 million has been demanded as ransom by suspected terrorists, for the release of a former Director-General of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Brigadier General Maharazu Tsiga (rtd).

Tsiga, 67, was kidnapped along with several others at his hometown of Tsiga, Bakori Local Government Area of Katsina State, on Wednesday night, February 6.

He was said to have been away from the community, and had travelled to the area shortly after he was abducted.

During the kidnap incident, two residents were reported to have been wounded, while one of the terrorists was shot dead by his colleagues.

A source close to the family who asked to be named, said a family member of the former NYSC boss’ family was contacted Friday night and demanded the amount for his release.

Born in 1957, Tsiga was the 14th NYSC Director-General, and had assumed duties in January, 2009; before then, he had been Military Assistant (MA) to one of the former NYSC bosses between 1992 and 1994.

After retirement, he was said to have ventured into farming and other businesses, and had been doing large-scale farming in Tsiga community for several years.

His abduction had raised concerns amongst residents of the community, with some of them said to have relocated from the area.

Spokesperson for the police command in the state, DSP Abubakar Aliyu, initially did not respond to calls and text messages from several reporters to confirm the abduction.

However, Aliyu later confirmed the incident on Friday, stating that the command is on top of the situation as it is collaborating with stakeholders and sister security agencies on the matter.

He recalled that, on February 6 at about 0530 hours, information was received at the Bakori divisional police headquarters of the activities of some suspected armed bandits where they attacked Tsig village and immediately, operatives responded to the scene to rescue the situation.

“Unfortunately, before the arrival of the operatives, the hoodlums already succeeded in their mission,” he said.