Nigerian Football
AFTER KIDNAP, FREED OBODO NOW FEEL UNSAFE IN FATHERLAND
Former Nigeria international footballer, Christian Obodo has regained his freedom after his second kidnap. According to a BBC report Obodo is left traumatised after he was kidnapped in the Nigeria’s oil-rich Delta State for the second time in eight years.
The 36-year-old, who spent over a decade in the Italy’s Serie A, was dragged from his car by unknown gunmen on Sunday after parking to buy fruit in the southern city of Warri.
“I was forcefully taken at gunpoint on refinery road not too far from my house, blindfolded and forced into the passenger seat of my car,” Obodo told BBC Sport Africa, as he revealed dramatic details of his seizure.
“They started punching me and one of them threatened to shoot me in the head if I don’t stay calm and quiet, it was at this point that I explained to them who I was and probably not who they were looking for.
“One of them recognised my name as the footballer, that was when I knew I wasn’t targeted, but randomly picked up by these guys.
“It was really traumatising because the motives were unclear and being subjected to another abduction is very cruel.
“They took my diamond earrings, wrist watch, necklace and demanded for money, but I told them I only had my bank cards.”
To make things even worse for Obodo he was locked in the boot of his car as his abductors decided to empty his account.
“I was kept in my boot for more than four hours. They started emptying my accounts using my two unlimited cards,” he said.
“They were driving me to different places, I didn’t even know we were still in Delta State. You can tell they are highly experienced in these card transactions.
“They were taking out cash endlessly and took their time with different transactions by removing unlimited cash whilst I was locked up in my boot.
“After they realised they couldn’t take out more cash they drove me into a dark spot, where I was dumped later that night and was allowed to leave.”
It is the second time the former Perugia, Lecce and Fiorentina player has been kidnapped in his hometown, with the first taking place in June 2012 while he played for Udinese.
Obodo said while this latest incident was random, the trauma has left him broken and feeling unsafe in his country.
“It’s sad to say that I no longer feel safe anymore,” he told BBC Sport.
“Just to park on the road to buy my mother apple and water melon, only to be seized at gunpoint.
“Imagine travelling on the road where you are all alone. A lot has to be done with security across the country for citizens to feel safe.
“I may have lost money and things money can buy, but now I fear that one day one could lose his life to gun-wielding people who might kill you for not having anything they want.”
History of abduction
Kidnappings – more often of oil workers, the rich and famous – are a regular occurrence in Nigeria, but footballers and their families are increasingly being targeted.
In March 2019, the mother of Nigeria international Samuel Kalu was released after being held by gunmen for six days.
It came almost a year after former Chelseas and Nigeria midfielder John Mikel Obi’s father was kidnapped for the second time in seven years in June 2018, before being released after a ransom of 10 million naira (about $27,500) was paid.
Back in 2007, France-based defender Onyekachi Apam was kidnapped by armed men who took his car before releasing him.
A year later, the elder brother of Everton defender, Joseph Yobo was kidnapped in oil-rich Port Harcourt before being released 10 days later.
-BBC
The miserable run of Akwa United and Ikorodu City came to an end after six games in the Nigerian Premier League this season. Both teams were initially glued at the bottom of the league table.
They now got respite as Akwa United beat Kano Pillar by 2-0 while Ikorodu City even did what could be considered an upset, beating Bendel Insurance 3-0.
Remo Stars bounced back to the top of the log after a 3-0 defeat of Nasarawa United. Shooting Stars are yet to get their rhythm this season, playing a barren draw with Enyimba in Ibadan.
Kwara United who got their first full points of the season last week after a 1-0 defeat of Remo Stars could not consolidate as they were beaten 1-0 by Abia Warriors.
Heartland under Emmanuel Amuneke are gradually recovering as they got a valuable away draw against El-Kanemi Warriors.
BY KUNLE SOLAJA.
It is 75 years since Nigeria’s national football team first played an international match. That was on 8 October 1949 when the first set of Nigeria’s assembly on their return voyage stopped over in Freetown and engaged Sierra Leone in an international football match. Nigeria won 2-0, setting a chain of positive results on 8 October.
The country never lost any competitive duel on that date. More significantly, the Super Eagles first qualified for the World Cup on an 8 October date.
That was in 1993 when they were held to a 1-1 draw by Algeria in the quest for USA ‘94 World Cup.
Nigeria became the first English-speaking African country to qualify for the World Cup. Another significance of the October 8 match at the July 5 Stadium, Algiers is that Nigeria were unbeaten for the first time by Algeria at home.
The only deviation from the 8 October Magic was in 2015 when Nigeria lost 2-0 to Congo in a friendly match.
Twenty-six years after Nigeria’s debut international match, one of Africa’s biggest football nations, Egypt fell to the October 8 magic, losing 4-0 to Nigeria in the last stage of the triangular World Cup qualifying series for Argentina ’78.
Up till October 15, 2013, when Ghana beat Egypt 6-1 in Kumasi, the October 8, 1977 duel with Nigeria remained Egypt’s biggest loss in a World Cup qualifying match.
Before the 1977 duel, Nigeria in 1963 played a friendly match with Liberia in Monrovia. The October 8 magic was active, even in an away match. Nigeria drew 2-2 in their very first encounter with Liberia. It was shortly after the team had, through a protest, upturned a victory by Guinea to pick Nigeria’s very first African Nations’ Cup ticket.
Little wonder then that when FIFA suspended Nigeria in 2010, the world governing body provisionally lifted the ban on October 8!
Nigeria on 8 October
- 1949 – Freetown (Friendly) Sierra Leone 0-2 Nigeria
- 1963 – Monrovia (Friendly) Liberia 2-2 Nigeria
- 1977 – Lagos (World Cup qualifier) Nigeria 4-0 Egypt
- 1993 – Algiers (World Cup qualifier) Algeria 1-1 Nigeria… qualify for USA ‘94.
- 2005 – Abuja (World Cup qualifier) Nigeria 5-1 Zimbabwe
- 2010 – FIFA, in apparent respect to the 8 October magic, provisionally lifted a ban imposed on Nigeria.
- 2011 – Abuja (African Nations Cup qualifier) Nigeria 2-2 Guinea. Although undefeated, Nigeria failed to make it to the 2012 African Nations Cup.
- 2015 – D.R. Congo beat Nigeria 2-0 in Visé, Belgium. The ‘October 8 Magic’ is finally broken.
Rivers United have launched themselves to the top of the log at the end of the match day 5 of the Nigeria Premier League. The Port Harcourt side beat Akwa United 2-1 to go afloat after initial leaders, Remo Stars crumbled to a 1-0 defeat at Kwara United in Ilorin on Sunday.
It was Remo Stars’ first defeat in the season. Rivers United are now with 13 points. Stephen Mayo put Rivers United ahead after 31 minutes. But it turned a temporary lead as Akwa United bounced back almost at the blast of the referee’s whistle for the second half.
Friday Apollos levelled up for Akwa United before Ndifreke Effiong Udo scored the winner in the 85th minute.
Sunday Results
- Kwara United 1-0 Remo Stars
- Rangers International 1-0 Abia Warriors
- Heartland FC 2-0 Niger Tornadoes
- Kano Pillars 2-0 Sunshine Stars
- Plateau United 1-0 Ikorodu City
- Rivers United 2-1 Akwa United
- Enyimba 3-0 Katsina United* Suspended
- Nasarawa 0-0 Bayelsa United
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