By Valentine Amanze, Online Editor
Nigerian ex-international midfielder, Christian Obodo, has said that he escaped from the suspectedkidnappers by the special grace of God on Sunday November 15, 2020.
Obodo, who spent over a decade in Serie A, including spells with Fiorentina and Udinese, was kidnapped by gunmen, while driving with his girlfriend in Warri, Delta State, Nigeria.
On his ordeal, the ex-footballer said that two armed men forced themselves inside his car.
“They pushed my girlfriend out of the car, while a third gunman drove in a car behind us.
“I was praying and trying to hold a conversation with them, asking them what have I done, but they barked at me and told me to keep quiet and that if I make any sound I was going to be killed.”
The 36-year-old, who was a regular in the Nigeria team between 2003 and 2008, said that they drove around town for several hours until the two men asked him to stop the car and stepped out to go and speak with their accomplice in the car behind.
“I looked behind and sensing a little ease, I sped off.
“I wasn’t harmed in any way and nothing was taken from me,” said Obodo.
Delta State Police spokesperson, Onome Onowakpoyeya, confirmed that Obodo was briefly abducted and released.
Kidnappings for ransom by criminal gangs are common in Nigeria, especially in the oil-producing Delta region.
Recall that Obodo was abducted in the same area in 2012, and rescued a day later in a police raid.
His kidnappers had demanded a ransom of about $188,000 (149,000 euros), according to AFP report.
Obodo was 17 years when he moved to Italy in 2001 to play for Perugia.
He later appeared for Fiorentina, Udinese, Torino and Lecce before moving to Dynamo Minsk in 2014.
Injury forced him to quit football.