Nigerian police have freed international footballer Christian Obodo unhurt during a raid, a day after gunmen kidnapped him in front of a church and demanded a ransom, a spokesman said yesterday
“He has been rescued and we have five suspects in our net as a result of it,” Delta state police spokesman Charles Muka said. He said police staged a raid on Sunday night after trailing the kidnappers to their hideout.
In addition to the five arrests, an AK-47 rifle was recovered, Muka said. The Italy-based midfielder was kidnapped by four men in Effurun in Delta state on Saturday morning. His kidnappers had demanded a ransom of about $188,000 (149,000 euros).
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Obodo, 28, is a Nigerian international midfielder who spent last season on loan at southern Italian club Lecce from fellow Serie A side Udinese.