Buenos Aires: An Argentine agricultural engineer abducted in Nigeria and held captive for three days in the west African country claimed using the name of his famous compatriot, footballer Lionel Messi, calmed his violent abductors.


Argentina's football star Lionel Messi. Pic/Getty Images 

The 28-year-old said he owes his life to the star forward. Santiago Lopez Menendez had been working in the west African nation since last year, planting soya and corn crops close to Kontagora in the north-west of the country, reports Argentine website clarin.com on Sunday.