"I saw hell" -- General Tsiga narrates ordeal in terrorists' enclave

A former Director-General of the National Youths Service Corps (NYSC), Maharazu Tsiga, on Thursday said he was able to come out alive from kidnappers’ den by the help and mercies of God.

Mr Tsiga, a retired brigadier general, said this when he and 18 other victims were reunited with their families by the National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu, in Abuja.

Mr Tsiga regained his freedom after spending 56 days in captivity having been abducted from his hometown Tsiga, in Bakori Local Government Area of Katsina State on 5 February, alongside nine other residents.

He said his safe return was the kind of situation worthy of celebration.

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He said that apart from the danger he and victims faced from their abductors, they were equally confronted with the risk of being hurt by wild animals in the mountain in which they were kept.

“The day before yesterday, on the mountain I was staying, unexpectedly, we just look around, we saw hyena parading around us to get its own food. And which kind of food? We, the human beings.

“Those of us that experienced that place, we always stay with snakes, scorpions.

“And one bad experience, particularly for those of us who, they knew our rank, whenever they are being attacked, sincerely speaking, they bring us out, so that the aircraft can hit us.

“But you know God is merciful.

“When a rocket was sent to us, it did not explode. They carried that rocket and kept it where I am sleeping so that immediately I come and touch it, it will explode.

“And that is why I told us, God is merciful,” he said.

The former NYSC DG also revealed that the nature of food they were fed was another threat to his health.

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According to Mr Tsiga, the terrorists said that those of them that were in uniform, government is always putting money for them to keep.

The retired army general also revealed that the terrorists only feared military aircraft, adding that they did not even fear God but military aircraft.

Mr Tsiga called on all Nigerians to join hands to fight and defeat insecurity in the country, saying that security should be seen as a collective responsibility of all.

“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. (NAN)