Fresh concerns about the sources of support available to armed criminal groups have emerged after former National Youth Service Corps Director-General, retired Brigadier General Maharazu Tsiga, suggested that bandits operating in parts of northern Nigeria may be benefiting from connections to influential individuals.
Speaking at a press conference in Kaduna, Tsiga raised the issue while reflecting on the death of retired Major General Rabe Abubakar, who recently died while being held captive by bandits in Katsina State. His remarks have added a new dimension to ongoing conversations about the factors sustaining insecurity across the region.
The retired military officer, who was himself abducted earlier this year from his hometown in Katsina, recounted experiences from his time in captivity. According to him, a conversation he overheard among his captors suggested possible links between the criminal group and individuals occupying positions of authority.
Tsiga said he heard a caller contact a bandit leader in the early hours of the morning to discuss the purchase of ammunition. Recalling the incident, he said he jokingly expressed interest in being included in the transaction, only to be told that the discussion involved people currently holding office rather than retired officials.
While the claims have not been independently verified, the comments are likely to intensify calls for a closer examination of the networks that enable criminal groups to acquire weapons, funding and logistical support. Security analysts have repeatedly argued that dismantling such structures is critical to addressing the broader insecurity challenge facing affected communities.
The development comes at a time when public attention remains focused on the activities of bandits in parts of northern Nigeria and the recent death of Major General Abubakar in captivity. Tsiga’s account is expected to further fuel demands for stronger investigations and greater accountability in efforts to identify and prosecute anyone found to be aiding violent criminal groups.
