Former Super Eagles midfielder, Christian Obodo, has been freed after he was abducted when he stopped to buy bananas along Refinery Road, Warri in Delta State.
He was reportedly with his girlfriend when he was kidnapped.
The 36-year-old, who has represented the Super Eagles 21 times, reportedly stopped to buy bananas with his girlfriend when he was seized from his car in the Effurun area with the kidknappers demanding a £121,000 ransom.
He was safely rescued by the Nigeria Police Force on Sunday in nearby Isoko, after Delta State governor Emmanuel Uguaghan ordered authorities to rescue the star within 48 hours.
Delta FA spokesman Timi Ebikagboro told KickOffNigeria.com:
“He was found at Isoko.
“He has been rescued and the police are bringing him back to Warri.”
This is the second time the former Udinese midfielder will be kidnapped by gunmen.
The former Nigeria international was abducted by unknown gunmen on June 9, 2012, on his way to church in Warri.
Obodo is not the only Nigerian footballer to have been abducted by kidnappers, ex-defender Onyekachi Apam was also a victim in 2007.
Brother of current Super Eagles assistant coach Joseph Yobo was kidnapped in 2018 at Port-Harcourt and was released ten days later.
Mikel Obi’s father, as well as the mother of Samuel Kalu, were also abducted in 2019 but police secured their releases a few days later.
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