Chelsea Legend Mikel Obi Recounts His Father’s Kidnap, Discloses Weird Thing About Abductors
- Chelsea legend John Obi Mikel has recounted his experience the last time his father was kidnapped in Nigeria
- Mikel’s father was kidnapped for the second time while he was away at the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia
- He claimed despite leaving Chelsea a year before, ex-owner Roman Abramovich offered to help rescue his father
Chelsea legend John Obi Mikel has opened up on what he faced when his father was kidnapped for the second time in 2018, having been previously held in 2011.
Mikel is one of Nigeria's most accomplished footballers, winning all possible trophies during his illustrious career, the majority of which he spent at Chelsea.
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His success and popularity did not come without challenges as his detractors targeted his family back in Nigeria through which they extorted him on multiple occasions.
Mikel speaks on father's kidnap
Mikel, speaking on a special release on his Obi One Podcast has explained what transpired between him and the kidnappers when his father was kidnapped for the second time
“Kidnappers love my dad. No, they love my money,” he said.
The incident happened ahead of the Super Eagles 2-1 loss to Lionel Messi’s Argentina at the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia and Mikel played on regardless claiming he didn't want to let the team down.
“I didn’t want to let the team down. I was the captain. I thought about it in my room, and then I went out there and played the game,” he said, admitting no one knew of the incident.
“They called me, knowing I was going into the game. They thought it would push me to pay whatever they wanted. I spoke to them, and they said, ‘We’re going to shoot the [expletive] out of him if you don’t pay.’ My dad was on the phone saying, ‘Just give them the money, they are beating me up.’”
Mikel left Chelsea 18 months earlier in the winter window of 2017, but former owner Roman Abramovich offered to help, but the Super Eagles captain declined.
“Roman being Roman said, ‘Just give me 24 hours. Let me send my people down, and I’ll find your dad.’ I thought, how the [expletive] are you going to do that? Nigeria is a massive country. But he said, ‘Don’t worry about it, just give me 24 hours,’” he said.
He succumbed to the kidnapper’s demands and paid a ransom, but admitted that the experience was life-changing as it made him more mentally strong.
How Abramovich felt after losing Chelsea
Legit.ng reported that Mikel Obi described Abramovich’s feelings after he was forced to sell Chelsea in 2022 after the United Kingdom government sanctioned him.
He sold the club to American consortium led by Todd Boehly and backed by Clearlake Capital and Mikel confirmed people close to the oligarch confirmed he's still hurt.
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Source: Legit.ng
