Family members of Super Eagles Player, Christian Obodo, who was kidnapped last Saturday in Warri, Delta State have said that they did not pay any ransom to the kidnappers. This was just as they said that he escaped when his abductors took him out to eat.
An uncle, Mr. Francis Ogbodo, who spoke on behalf of the family in a telephone interview, said “It was the Lord’s doing, his abductors were put to shame in spite of their threats for us to pay ransom or have our son killed. We are particularly grateful to the vigilante group and the police in Emevor Isoko North Local Government Area of Delta state where he was rescued after he escaped from them at the food vendor’s spot”.
However, the police spokesman in the state, DSP Charles Muoka, confirmed that the vigilante in Emevor rescued Ogbodo, and pointed out that men of the police synergised with Local security agents to rid the area of crimes.
He noted that the vigilante groups have been up and doing in the state, and said that five persons believed to be members of the kidnap gang were arrested while Ak 47 and 3,000 ammunitions were also recovered from them.
He said that the Police have arrested over 40 suspected kidnappers operating in Warri/Sapele and its environs in the last two weeks and added that 10 robbery suspects were killed during a gun duel with the police.
Meanwhile, the midfielder has declared that he will never run away from Warri his birth place. Warri is in Delta State. He said he is not leaving the town for any reason. He said the city will always remain his home town in spite of his kidnap experience.
Obodo, 28, spent more than 24 hours in the custody of his abductors before he was rescued by the Nigeria Police around 9pm Sunday night.
“I’m a Warri boy and a son of the town. I lived most of my life in Warri with my family and friends before I left the country. What has happened will not make me run away from my family and home because this is where I was born and this is where I grew up. It wasn’t a good experience but I do not have another home than Warri. My family is here and my houses and some of my investments are here too,” Obodo told SuperSport.com.
The Udinese midfielder is expected to stay in Warri for the next fortnight as the guest of the Delta State governor, Dr Emmanuel Uduaghan contrary to report that he will be leaving for Italy immediately.
Also the Nigeria Football Federation, yesterday, applauded the Inspector-General of Police, Alhaji M. D. Abubakar and the Nigeria Police in general for the great job they deed in rescuing the Nigerian international from kidnappers.
The NFF President, Alhaji Aminu Maigari, said “We are very happy with this development. It was the first time that a Nigerian player had been kidnapped and honestly, we feared the worst. But I want to use this opportunity to appreciate the Inspector-General of Police, Alhaji M. D. Abubakar and the generality of the Nigeria Police for the marvelous job done to set the player free.
Obodo was kidnapped on Saturday morning in Effurun area of Warri while driving alone in his car with customised registration plate number ‘Ogbodo 5.’
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