Why I was kidnapped again – Mikel Obi’s father

Chief Michael Obi, the father of Super Eagles captain, John Mikel Obi, has revealed the reason behind his kidnap by armed gunmen recently, the second time in seven years.

Recall that Pa Michael Obi and his driver, John Ishaya, were abducted along Makurdi-Enugu Road on June 29 on his way from Jos in his grey-coloured Toyota Prado jeep with registration number: MUS 604 CG and taken to an unknown destination through the thick forest part of the area.

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Fortunately for the family, Chief Obi and his driver were rescued by men of the Enugu State Police Command in Egede axis of Udi Forest of the state along Old Egede Affa road in the state on July 2.

However, the family parted with N10 million ransom demanded by the kidnappers.

Mikel Obi’s Father Rescued By Police

The 74-year-old Obi was also kidnapped in 2011 while his son, Mikel Obi, was a player in Chelsea.

In an interview with Daily Trust published on Saturday, Pa Obi revealed the real reason behind his second kidnap.

Explaining how and why it all happened, the septuagenarian said, “I was travelling home for a family meeting, early evening, in Enugu.

“I’d just reminded my driver to stop at the Ninth Mile to buy Okpa in case I fall asleep.

“Not quite long after a checkpoint, we heard gunshots ahead of us, so we stopped.

“My driver reckoned it was armed robbers, and tried to reverse the car. But another car from nowhere blocked us from behind, and the people within came and dragged us out.

“The kidnappers were six, well-armed and masked. They assaulted us, and dragged us into the bush. We walked for many hours, and when I complained that I could not continue, they beat me again.

“Eventually, they told my driver to carry me on his back. But after a while, he also got tired and dropped me.

“We walked into the bush for what seemed like the whole night, until the next morning.

“I asked them what they wanted from me, and that was when they told me they wanted N100 million. We communicated in Hausa, and some broken English.

“I told them I could not afford it, and they said they heard that my son sends me N50 million to me bi-weekly.

“We started to negotiate, and they threatened to kill me. I told them I only had N2 million in my bank account.

“When I noticed they were serious, I told them I could give them N5 million.

“We agreed on that sum, but they later refused, insisting on N50 million. I finally pegged it at N10 million.”