Facing the Unthinkable: Mikel John Obi's Terrifying Ordeal of Family Kidnappings
Mikel John Obi relives the chilling moment he learned his father, Pa Michael Obi, had been abducted again A gripping account of the harrowing kidnappings that plagued the Nigerian soccer legend's family
Mikel John Obi clearly recalls the moment he received the news that his father, Pa Michael Obi, had been kidnapped once again.
In Africa's most populous country, kidnappings for ransom, particularly targeting wealthy family members, have become increasingly frequent and are viewed by certain criminal groups as a profitable enterprise.
The Nigeria and Chelsea footballer informed CNN Sport that he received the news only two hours prior to his World Cup match against Lionel Messi and Argentina at Russia 2018.
Luis Manuel Diaz, the father of Colombia's Luis Diaz, celebrates after the match between Colombia and Brazil at Estadio Metropolitano Roberto Melendez in Barranquilla, Colombia on November 16, 2023. REUTERS/Luisa Gonzalez.
Luisa Gonzalez/Reuters
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"I was filled with excitement as I prepared for one of the biggest games of my life, facing off against [Lionel] Messi and Argentina," Obi recounted in a recent interview with CNN Senior Sports Analyst Darren Lewis.
"As I was getting ready in my room, my phone unexpectedly started ringing and it was my brother on the line... telling me that dad had been kidnapped. I couldn't believe it, not again."
Obi expressed his distress at hearing that his father was enduring a second ordeal in his life, describing it as "heart-breaking. As he tried to process the news, he recounted feeling a sense of physical discomfort, even though it was a hot summer day in St. Petersburg.
Obi pondered his next move: should he inform the team, the players, the manager, or the Nigerian FA? "What should I do? This is the most important game of our lives," he thought. "I decided that I would go out there and give it my all. I refuse to let the kidnappers win."
"I am the captain, the leader of this team. I have to go out there and be strong for the team and for the country. I decided not to tell anyone," Obi added.
Despite pushing the Albiceleste to the limit, with a Marcos Rojo 86th-minute goal making the difference, Nigeria ultimately lost 2-1. Obi admitted that he felt like he "was going to fall down and probably collapse" during the game.
Obi vies with Messi for the ball during Nigeria's 2018 World Cup clash against Argentina.
Ian MacNicol/Getty Images
"I went out and performed. I remember in the game, a few times, I thought I was going to throw up. Emotions were running here and there.
"I was filled with uncertainty about the game, my dad, and my tearful mom, as well as my entire family, including my brothers and sisters. Everyone was overwhelmed with emotions."
Following the game, Obi informed his teammates, the Nigerian Football Federation, and the global media about the abduction. This occurred before negotiations commenced to secure his father's safe return.
Obi recalled his father's words, "They've got the gun to my head, son." "I'm an old man," his father continued, "but you have to make the decision. It's the second time this has happened. I know you could pay a large sum to ensure my safe return home."
"Of course, I want my dad back. No matter what, I want my dad to be home," stated Obi. In 2018, he mentioned that the kidnappers had asked for 10 million naira (around $30,000) to release his father.
Pa Michael Obi after he was freed from kidnappers in 2011.
Aminu Abubakar/AFP/Getty Images
Obi's father was rescued with the assistance of the Nigeria Police Force. Despite CNN's request for additional information about the 2018 kidnapping, the Nigeria Police Force did not immediately respond. This was not the first time Obi's father had been abducted, as it had previously occurred in 2011 in Jos, the main city in Plateau State in central Nigeria, while he was returning home from work.
Obi remembered the first kidnapping as a huge shock for him and his family. "I believe he was missing for around 10 days. It was a very difficult time for us, but we eventually managed to make contact with the kidnappers by making phone calls."
"They clearly wanted to have a conversation with me, so I obliged. They expressed their demands, and I communicated with the club [Chelsea] as well as Roman [Abramovich]," Obi explained, in reference to the Russian oligarch and former Chelsea FC owner.
Obi claimed that Abramovich assured him of his willingness to offer support, stating: "If you require any assistance, even if it entails sending my team to Nigeria to locate your father, I am prepared to do so."
Obi had the option to not play, but ultimately decided to go through with it despite the circumstances. He had a Premier League match for Chelsea against Stoke City and chose to proceed, despite having to pay a sum of money, which ultimately led to his father's release.
"I recall when Andre Villas-Boas was managing Chelsea," Obi reminisced. "He told me, 'You're a crucial player for me. If you're up for it, I want you to play. If not, I understand if you don't want to travel with the team.'"
"I expressed my determination not to let these individuals triumph over me. I refused to reveal any sign of weakness and insisted on carrying out my responsibilities, which I successfully did. I accompanied the team on our travels, participated in the game, and even though it was incredibly challenging, I persevered." Throughout his tenure at the club, Obi made 372 appearances for Chelsea, securing victories in the Premier League (twice), the FA Cup (four times), the League Cup (twice), as well as the Champions League and Europa League.
Obi, with his Nigeria international teammate Victor Moses, celebrates winning the Europa League in 2013.
Darren Walsh/Chelsea FC/Getty Images
After the first kidnapping, Obi remembers being reunited with his dad who had been beaten up by the kidnappers and dumped in the street like "trash."
When they first met, Obi described his father as "bruised and beaten, with broken lips and a swollen head, unable to walk or move. It was an incredibly distressing moment for me and my family. We endured a great deal of suffering."
CNN has requested additional information from the Nigeria Police Force regarding the 2011 kidnapping.
When Obi witnessed the ordeal that Liverpool star Luis Díaz's father went through after being kidnapped by Colombia's ELN guerrilla group in October and later released in November, he reached out to the Colombian international on social media to offer his support. "I have to commend him and Liverpool. I always say, when you're in these situations, you need people around you. You need people who care about you. And Liverpool showed that support," Obi said.
"Liverpool demonstrated their support for him. The fans and players made it clear that he was not alone. I'm pleased to see that this is what he received from Liverpool. Eventually, his father was finally released."
