Bunmi Ogunyale

Super Eagles’ skipper, John Obi Mikel has revealed that the news of his dad’s broken to him two hours before their final group game against Argentina.

Speaking after his dad’s Pa Michael Obi release from the kidnappers den on Monday, Mikel revealed that he was undeterred to play against the Argentines when the news was broken to him.

“We were few hours to kick off against Argentina when I got wind of the report that my dad had been kidnapped but I had no choice than to pray for his safety and play the game.

“I felt I had 180million people behind me and I must make them proud. Which was also the reason I had a wrist cast on my fractured finger for the game.

“And it is very painful that we lost to Argentina if you put all these that happened before thw game,” Mikel stated.

The Enugu State Police Command on Monday rescued Pa Michael Obi.

The state Police Public Relations Officer, Ebere Amaraizu, said this in a statement, adding that Pa Obi and his driver, John Ishaya, were abducted on Makurdi-Enugu Road on June 29.

Mikel’s father, according to the police, was on his way from Jos, Plateau State, in a grey colour Toyota Prado Sports Utility Vehicle with number plate, MUS 604CG, when he was kidnapped.

The kidnappers were said to have demanded N10m as ransom from Obi’s family.

The spokesman said around 2pm on Monday, operatives of the Ninth Mile Division of the command rescued Pa Obi and his driver in a forest in the Udi area of Enugu.

Amaraizu said the rescue was preceded by a gun battle between the police and the kidnappers, who escaped after being overpowered by the security agents.

Amaraizu said, “The Enugu State Command of the Nigeria Police Force, through its operatives rescued Pa Michael Obi and his driver, one Ishaya John, unhurt in Egede Udi forest on Monday, July 2, 2018, around 2.30pm along old Egede-Affa Road, Enugu.

“They were rescued hale and hearty and pa Michael Obi and the driver have been reunited with their families.

“Pa Obi and and his driver were abducted along Markurdi-Enugu Road on his way from Jos and taken to a thick forest.

“The abductors called to demand a ransom of N10m before policemen, acting on intelligence information, swooped on them, after which a gun duel ensued which forced the hoodlums to abandon their victims inside the forest and fled.”