Retired General Tsiga remains in captivity, Kaduna’s truce deal with terrorists affecting Katsina
By Jeph Ajobaju, Chief Copy Editor
Maharazu Tsiga, a retired Brigadier General, has remained in captivity 23 after gunmen invaded Tsiga town, Bakori Council in Katsina and kidnapped him and nine others.
The former National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) Director General was abducted last month after which the kidnappers contacted his family and demanded a ransom of N250 million.
Details of the negotiation about the ransom are sketchy and an unverified report said he might have been traded and transferred to another camp.
“They demanded a ransom of N250 million, but unfortunately, we heard that a different gang has taken him over after settling the initial kidnap gang, and the new captors are demanding N500 million ransom; so he is still in captivity”, a source told Weekend Trust.
Sources close to the family also confirmed that Tsiga is still held captivity.
“He hasn’t been released .…However, the good news is that he is alive and the family is in touch with his abductors. It shall be well,” he said.
Another source disclosed that efforts to bring him back home are being handled at different levels and “he ought to have been released by now if not for some glitches which are being managed.”
Terrorists intensify attacks on communities
Weekend Trust also reports that bandits are increasingly terrorising communities in southern Kaduna – from Kankara, Bakori to Malumfashi, Danja, Faskari and Sabuwa.
On Wednesday night, a prominent businessman, Balan Awwal, and his son were kidnapped in Malumfashi. But the son was said to have been rescued and returned home almost immediately after the attack.
A resident of Malumfashi who pleaded anonymity said the attackers went to Awwal’s residence in the Bayan Kasuwa area around 1.30am and carried out the operation silently.
“They didn’t fire any shot,” he narrated. “It was even after they left the area that his neighbours got to know what happened.
“He was into oil and gas business in the past, but honestly, he does not have so much any longer, compared to what he had. He is a family man and over 60 years of age, even suffering from an illness.”
Other high profile figures in Malumfashi are being kidnapped as well.
The victims include the son of Malumfashi Council Chairman and some prominent residents of Bakori town.
A resident of Bakori recounted that the kidnappers targeted one businessman Tukur Kashi but failed to kidnap him.
“It appeared to be an isolated case because they went straight to his residence, fortunately, his house had surveillance cameras. He sighted them outside and raised the alarm. When local vigilantes began to shoot, the kidnappers fled,” the source said.
“They also attempted to break into the house of the local government chairman, which is not far from that of Alhaji Tukur, but because they were out of time, they couldn’t succeed there as well.”
But on their way out of the town, the kidnappers succeeded in abducting another businessman who trades in cattle, Awwalu Maishanu, along with his wife and daughter.
10 killed, several others kidnapped in Faskari
Some 10 people were killed earlier this week in communities around Tafoki ward in Faskari Council.
Faskari Council Chairman Musa Ado told the Hausa Service of DW Radio that eight were killed in three villages – Gidan Ciwake, Gidan Nakuba, and Kwana Doka.
He added that
- 15 houses were set ablaze, eight motorcycles were stolen and one burnt.
- Two others were killed two days later in Tafoki village, raising the number of deaths to 10 while several others were kidnapped.
‘Kaduna truce deal affecting Katsina’
Many observers have expressed concern over the recent resurgence of violence in Katsina, linking them to the peace deal between the Kaduna government and terrorists.
Sabuwa Council Chairman Faruk Hayatu said: “The bandits are now threatening us to either embrace negotiation on their terms or we would continue to suffer severe attacks.”
But he reaffirmed the position of the Katsina government on negotiating with bandits, saying such deals do not last.
Nurse Mairuwa regains freedom 45 days after
On the positive side, the nurse who was kidnapped during the Kankara Hospital attack, Yusuf Mairuwa, has regained freedom after 45 days in captivity.
A relative of the victim who pleaded anonymity confirmed that he was released on Friday after N19 million ransom was paid.
Mairuwa was abducted during a hospital attack that left a doctor injured. The gunmen demanded N540 million ransom for him and other captives.
“The nurse has been released after the payment of N19 million as ransom. It was really tough for his family and acquaintances, but Alhamdu Lillah, he has been released,” the source said.
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