Ex-NYSC DG Tsiga Reveals Captivity Experience and Insights

Retired Brigadier General Maharazu Tsiga, the former Director General of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), recounted his nearly two-month ordeal in captivity by bandits during an interaction with journalists in Kaduna. He asserted that Nigeria cannot effectively combat banditry without dismantling the networks of informants and arms dealers that sustain these criminal groups.

Tsiga argued that relying solely on negotiations with bandits will not resolve the country's worsening security crisis. He emphasized the necessity of an aggressive strategy targeting the supply chains of weapons, ammunition, fuel, and food that support bandit operations.

During his captivity, Tsiga observed that bandits live in fear of military operations and rival armed groups. He warned that individuals benefiting financially from banditry must be confronted, as they pose a significant obstacle to successful negotiations.

Tsiga's remarks come amid a growing national debate on whether a combination of dialogue and military force is the most effective approach to tackle banditry and violent crime across northern Nigeria.