The Nigerian Defence Headquarters has dismissed claims that military officers raised ₦400 million through a WhatsApp platform to secure the release of Brigadier General Maharazu Tsiga (retired), who was abducted by bandits in Katsina State and held captive for 56 days.
The rebuttal follows the circulation of a message attributed to Brigadier General Ismaila Abdullahi (retired), who stated in a note of appreciation dated 4 April 2025 that senior military officers and civilians raised funds for General Tsiga’s release through a WhatsApp group named “TSIGA.”
In the message, Abdullahi revealed that “when the bandits made their demand of ₦400,000,000 as the ransom… we decided to solicit for donations on our TSIGA Platform.”
He noted that the group comprised over 300 members, including retired military officers, diplomats, businessmen, and academics. Donations were reportedly channelled into General Tsiga’s personal bank account.
But in a press release issued on 7 April and signed by Brigadier General Tukur Gusau, Director of Defence Information, the military stated that the rescue was achieved through a sustained search and rescue operation by troops of Operation Fansan Yamma.
“The article clearly contradicts the efforts made by troops…to secure the release of the Brigadier General,” the statement read.
It described the viral report as “an act of mischief which is calculated [at] undermining the dedicated efforts of military effort [sic] to eradicate terrorists/bandits and other criminal elements from the North West region.”
The statement provided detailed accounts of the operation, which began immediately after Tsiga’s abduction in the early hours of 6 February 2025 in Tsiga town, Bakori LGA of Katsina State.
The military said ground and air components of Operation Fansan Yamma combed hideouts across Katsina and Zamfara states, including Dunya Hill, Pauwa Hills, and other locations.
Though the operation did not lead to direct confrontation with the abductors, the military said it succeeded in disrupting bandit strongholds and forcing them to abandon captives.
“Troops successfully pressured the criminals… who abandoned rustled animals and some captives in their hasty retreat,” the statement noted.
One such escapee, Barau Garba, a schoolteacher abducted alongside General Tsiga, was rescued and reunited with his family. The military also stated that 84 other kidnapped victims were freed during assaults on Pauwa Hills and Matallawa in Kankara LGA.
While acknowledging that “kinetic and non-kinetic strategies” were employed in the rescue, the military insisted that no ransom was paid.
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