Kidnapping appears to be a lucrative business among hoodlums who forcefully abduct famous persons or their families.

Afterwards, they demand certain amount of money as ransom before releasing the victims.

CANDIIDONLINE has compiled a report on Super Eagles players and their family members who have been victims of kidnappers.

1. Christian Obodo

Unknown gunmen recently kidnapped a former Super Eagles midfielder, Christian Obodo, along Refinery Road, Warri in Delta State.

They abducted Obodo, 36, when he stopped by to buy bananas, the Police Public Relations Officer, Delta State Command, Onome Onovawakpoyeya revealed.

”Obodo was kidnapped at about 5pm on Sunday around Ishaka Hotel just along Refinery Road,” Onovawakpoyeya said.

“He was with his girlfriend when he was abducted. They both stopped by the road to buy bananas.”

She added that the kidnappers had not made any demand for his release.

CANDIIDONLINE reports that this is the second time gunmen have kidnapped the former Udinese midfielder.

Recall that they had previously abducted the former Nigeria international on his way to church in Warri sometime in 2012.

But the day after the miscreants took him, police tracked his abductors to lsoko, just outside Warri, where they found Obodo and arrested some suspects.

2. Onyekachi Apam

Armed men had also kidnapped ex-Eagles defender Onyekachi Apam in 2007.

They abducted and robbed the Nigeria and Nice defender, at that time, at gunpoint in the city of Enugu.

The kidnappers released Apam unharmed after a 45-minute ordeal, but the three-man armed gang took his Honda Accord car.

The football star, who just turned 22 at that time, was returning from a church service when the incident took place.

Apam told Nigeria’s Kick Off magazine: “This is a very sad experience for me. These tough-looking guys just pounced on me while I made efforts to park.”

“They forced me to lie down at the back of the car and then they drove off. I just thank God that they did not harm me in any way.”

3. Joseph Yobo

An elder brother of former Eagles captain Joseph Yobo was abducted in oil-rich Port Harcourt before being released 10 days later in 2018.

Norum Yobo was one of three men taken from their car at gunpoint in Port Harcourt in Rivers State, Nigeria.

Other two victims were immediately released, but Norum Yobo was held for long because of his brother’s high profile.

The kidnapping took place in the B-Line area of Port Harcourt at around 4am on a Saturday morning after the trio had attended the Illussion Nite Club.

4. Mikel Obi

In 2019, bandits abducted the father of the former Eagles captain Mikel Obi in Jos, the Plateau state capital. But the police rescued him days later.

The former Super Eagles skipper had revealed that he received a call from the kidnappers 4 hours before kickoff in the decisive World Cup clash in St. Petersburg, and they demanded N10 million ($28,000 U.S.) for the safe return of his father, Pa Michael Obi.

The elder Obi had set out to attend a funeral in southeastern Nigeria from Jos when gunmen abducted him along the Makurdi-Enugu expressway on June 26. However, the police rescued him and his driver after a “gun duel” in Egede, near the city of Udi in Enugu State.

5. Samuel Kalu

Gunmen had also abducted the mother of Bordeaux winger Samuel Kalu in Aba, Abia State last year.

They released her after she spent six days in the kidnappers’ den.

SOURCE: www.candiidonline.com