A former Director-General of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Brigadier-General Maharazu Tsiga (rtd), has alleged that bandits operating in parts of Nigeria may be receiving support from individuals in government and other positions of authority.
Tsiga made the claim during a press briefing in Kaduna held in honour of the late Major-General Rabe Abubakar (rtd), who reportedly died while in the custody of bandits in Katsina State.
He said his own experience after being kidnapped earlier this year in his hometown in Katsina exposed what he described as a disturbing network behind the activities of the criminals, including informants, suppliers, and alleged collaborators in influential positions.
According to him, “These people may be having the backing of those in power. One night around 2 a.m. while I was in captivity, I overheard a conversation where someone called and asked, ‘Kachala, are you ready to buy 10 cartons of ammunition?’
“He replied, ‘Yes, but let me finish with one old man.’ After the call, I jokingly said, ‘Put me inside this business too.’
“He responded, ‘Who are you? You are a retired general. You don’t have office. We are talking to people who are in office now,’” Tsiga recounted.
BACKSTORY…
The comment by former NYSC Director-General, Brigadier-General Maharazu Tsiga (rtd), comes amid growing concern over worsening insecurity in parts of northern Nigeria, where bandit attacks, kidnappings, and rural violence have persisted for years.
Tsiga himself was recently kidnapped in Katsina State, an experience he says exposed him to how kidnapping operations function from within captivity. He has since spoken publicly about what he describes as a wider support network behind banditry, involving not just armed groups in forests but also informants and logistical backers.
His remarks were made during a press briefing in Kaduna held in honour of the late Major-General Rabe Abubakar (rtd), who reportedly died while in bandits’ captivity. At the event, Tsiga suggested that the scale and coordination of bandit activities may not be possible without assistance from influential individuals or networks outside the bush.
The statement reflects ongoing public debate in Nigeria about whether insecurity is being sustained only by criminal groups or also enabled by deeper structural and political connections, a claim that has often been raised by security analysts, victims, and some officials over time.
