The former Director General of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Brig. Gen. Maharazu Tsiga (rtd.) and nine other residents have been abducted by bandits in a brazen overnight attack, in Tsiga Village in Bakori Local Government Area of Katsina State.
It was learnt that the assailants also killed one person during the raid, which occurred in the early hours of Thursday.
According to eyewitnesses, the bandits invaded the community at approximately 12:30 am, firing sporadically to instill fear and chaos among residents.
The attackers ransacked several homes, looting valuables before fleeing with their captives.
The abduction of Brig. Gen. Tsiga, has sent shockwaves through the community and beyond. The identities of the other abducted individuals have yet to be disclosed, but local sources confirm that the bandits targeted multiple households during the raid.
Efforts to obtain an official statement from the Katsina State Police Command were met with limited response. When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Abubakar Sadiq, declined to provide details, stating via SMS that he “can’t talk now.”
Read also: First lady launches NYSC digital museum, TV station in Abuja
This attack is the latest in a series of violent incidents perpetrated by bandits in Katsina State and other parts of northern Nigeria. Communities in the region have faced increasing insecurity, with frequent kidnappings, killings, and lootings by armed groups.
Residents of Tsiga Village are now living in fear, calling on security agencies to intensify efforts to rescue the abducted victims and restore peace to the area.
As of press time, no group has claimed responsibility for the attack, and the whereabouts of the captives remain unknown.
Authorities are yet to issue a formal statement on the incident, but the abduction of a high-profile figure like Brig. Gen. Tsiga is likely to draw significant attention to the ongoing security challenges in the region.
