The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has strongly refuted a misleading article by Brigadier General Ismaila Abdullahi, which falsely claimed that military generals contributed money to secure the release of Brigadier General Mahrazu Tsiga (retired), the former Director General of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), who was held captive for 56 days. In a statement released today, the DHQ clarified that the successful rescue of General Tsiga was the result of coordinated military operations led by troops from Operation Fasan Yamma, not financial contributions.
The statement highlighted the extensive efforts made by the military, which included both kinetic and non-kinetic strategies, to locate and free General Tsiga after his abduction on 6 February 2025. The former NYSC Director General was abducted in Tsiga, Kafur District of Bakori Local Government Area in Katsina State in the early hours of that morning. Upon receiving reports of the abduction, troops from 17 Brigade immediately mobilized and began pursuing the criminals, supported by the Air Component of Operation Fasan Yamma.
The combined military efforts took the troops to multiple hideouts in Katsina and Zamfara States, including areas in Kankara, Faskari, and Tsafe Local Government Areas. Although the troops did not initially engage directly with the abductors, their operations put significant pressure on the criminals, forcing them to abandon rustled animals and captives during their retreat.
By 8 February, leveraging credible intelligence, the military intensified its search and launched dawn attacks on key bandit strongholds, including Yankuzo and Gidan Dankaka in Tsafe Local Government Area. These operations targeted terrorist kingpin Ado Aliero, who was believed to have ties with the abductors. While these attacks did not result in the direct capture of the terrorists, subsequent airstrikes on Dunya Hill where General Tsiga was believed to be held disrupted the bandits and allowed several hostages to escape. However, due to health concerns, General Tsiga was unable to escape during this operation.
One of the rescued captives, Barau Garba, a teacher from Tsiga, was freed during the operations and has since been reunited with his family. In another operation in Kankara and Faskari, troops rescued 84 other kidnapped victims but were unable to locate General Tsiga. During the mission, several bandits were neutralized, and three soldiers sustained gunshot wounds.
The DHQ’s statement emphasized the tireless work and sacrifices made by the military personnel, who endured great risk to ensure the safe release of General Tsiga. Brigadier General Tukur Gusau, Director of Defence Information, stressed that the military’s efforts should not be undermined by unfounded claims and reaffirmed that the rescue operation was carried out with the utmost professionalism and dedication.
“The recent claims that military generals funded the release of General Tsiga are entirely false and misrepresent the relentless efforts of our troops,” Brigadier General Gusau stated. “Our personnel worked day and night, often in dangerous conditions, to secure the release of a man whose life is invaluable to the nation.”
The DHQ reiterated its commitment to continuing operations to ensure peace and security across the country. The military also encouraged the public to support these efforts by providing credible intelligence that could aid in combating terrorism and banditry in the region.
The Defence Headquarters closed by reaffirming that the military will continue to work tirelessly to protect the citizens of Nigeria and uphold national security.
