Manhunt for kidnappers of football star’s mother in Nigeria
Police are searching for gunmen who seized the mother of Samson Siasia – the former striker and coach of Nigeria’s national football team – from her home in Bayelsa state in the early hours of Monday.
Bayelsa state police say an investigation is ongoing, telling BBC Africa Sport that they are “winning the war” against the scourge of kidnappings.
It is the second time in four years that Beauty Siasia has been kidnapped, and this is the second kidnap of 2019 linked to Nigerian football.
In February, the mother of Super Eagles and Bordeaux winger Samuel Kalu was kidnapped in Abia State, also in the south of Nigeria, and was released six days later.
Kidnappers have sought ransom from high-profile targets in the past and Nigeria’s footballers, currently away in Egypt for the Africa Cup of Nations, are known to live in fear of such threats to their families.
Team captain John Obi Mikel’s father was kidnapped during last year’s World Cup in Russia, just before Nigeria’s final group match against Argentina.
Source: bbc.co.uk
