Notorious Bandit Babaro Holds Brig. Gen. Tsiga Hostage in Katsina

Brigadier General Maharazu Tsiga has been abducted by renowned bandit leader Babaro, who is apparently holding him hostage in Bununu Forest, which is situated in Faskari Local Government Area (LGA), close to the boundary with Ƙankara LGA, Katsina State.

Bakatsine, a security analyst, posted this on X (previously Twitter) on Saturday. He claims that members of Bakori LGA’s Kandarawa community, who were also abducted by Babaro’s group on January 14, 2025, provided the information.

They were freed after paying a 30 million naira ransom and revealed that they had seen Brig. Gen. Tsiga in captivity. They claimed that even though he was still being detained when they left, he was getting the care he needed, which included water in bottles.

The communities of Ƙankara, Malumfashi, Bakori, Faskari, and Funtua LGAs have all been attacked by the infamous bandit Babaro. Remember how former National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) Director-General Maharazu Tsiga’s kidnappers have sought N250 million in ransom to free him? Tsiga, a retired Brigadier-General in the Nigerian Army, was abducted Wednesday evening from his home in Tsiga town, which is located in Katsina State’s Bakori Local Government Area.

Official statements have not yet been released by the authorities.