Kidnapped Emirati released in Nigeria

A UAE citizen kidnapped in Nigeria was released on Tuesday and his kidnapers have been arrested, the Ministry of the Interior announced on Tuesday.

''A plane took off this afternoon to Nigeria to bring the Emirati citizen home,'' the MoI said.

Major General Abdul Aziz Maktoum Al Shuraiqi, Director General of Federal Preventive Security and Investigation, MoI, said security agencies received in late January  information from Majed Khamis Majed, a UAE citizen from Umm Al Qaiwain, that his brother Mohammed had gone on a two-day business trip to Nigeria and that he had not heard from him since then.

Al Shuraiqi said Majed Khamis Majed then received a note from the kidnapers demanding a ransom of $5 million to set his brother free. The kidnappers also threatened to kill him if the matter was referred to the police.

Investigations revealed that the chief of the gang based in Nigeria used to lure his victims through his aides in many countries, the MoI official said.

MoI officers kept the negotiations channel with the kidnapers open so as to ensure the hostage's safety and also kept in regular contact with the Nigerian government, UAE embassy in Nigeria and other agencies.

''UAE officers made a breakthrough when they arrested the gang’s chief and other suspects in the UAE and Nigeria. With the assistance of the Nigerian police, we got the hostage released and arrested the kidnapers,'' the MoI official said.

Al Shuraiqi appealed to UAE citizens travelling abroad, especially to countries with security problems, to take extra precautions and follow travel advice and alerts issued by UAE embassies abroad through SMS. Travellers were also urged to inform diplomatic missions abroad about their destination and whereabouts.
 

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