Super Eagles captain John Obi Mikel has revealed that he played for Nigeria against Argentina at the Russia 2018 World Cup with the information of his dad being kidnapped and held for ransom. But the former Chelsea star added that he could not tell anyone because the abductors warned him that his father would be killed immediately authorities know about the incident. Mikel stressed that he was in a devastating mood when the kidnappers called him four hours into the Group D tie between Nigeria and Argentina which the Super Eagles lost 1-2. His father was on his way to a funeral in south eastern Nigeria from Jos when he was abducted along the Makurdi-Enugu expressway on June 26. Mikel explained further that the kidnappers demanded the sum of N10 Million ($28,000 US) for the safe return of his father Pa Michael Obi. "I was confused and I did not know what to do, but in the end I knew that I could not let 180 million Nigerians down. "I had to shut it out of my head and go and represent my country first. I was told that they would shoot my dad instantly if I reported to the authorities or told anybody.
"And I did not want to discuss it with the coach because I did not want my issue to become a distraction to the coach or the rest of the team on the day of such an important game. So as much as I wanted to discuss it with the coach, I could not do it." Mikel explained according to ESPN. Mikel's father was later rescued on Monday, July 2, after a gun battle between the police and the kidnappers in which the hoodlums were forced to run away for their lives leaving their victims behind. Meanwhile, this will be the second time that Mikel Obi's father will be abducted as the first time was in August 2011 before he was later rescued after spending 10 days with the kidnappers.
Goals from Messi and Rojo secured qualification for Argentina as Chelsea winger Victor Moses also scored his first goal in the World Cup for Nigeria.

http://www.akelicious.net/2018/07/mikel-reveals-his-father-was-kidnapped.html

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