MOSCOW – Nigerian football captain John Obi Mikel revealed on Tuesday that the kidnappers had kidnapped and threatened to kill his father a few hours before the last Team World Cup match last week.

The midfielder's father, Pa Michael Obi, was finally rescued by the Nigerian police. According to the Guardian and KweseESPN

"I played while my father was in the hands of bandits," Mikel said. "I had to remove the trauma.I took a call four hours before the kickoff to tell me what had happened.Me said that & # 39; They would kill my father instantly if I reported to the authorities or if I told anyone. "

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Mikel said Tuesday that his father was receiving urgent medical treatment in the southeastern region of Nigeria, where the abduction took place.Mikel's father was kidnapped in 2011.

The player was informed of the crime while He was heading to the stadium last Tuesday, before Nigeria's 2-1 defeat against Argentina which eliminated the tournament team.

on the instructions that he had to call the kidnappers on a number that was provided.At the time of the call, Mikel was ordered to pay a ransom of about $ 27,700, otherwise his father would be killed.

The player 31 years old I spent 11 years in Chelsea in the English league and now plays his club Football in China with Tianjin TEDA has not informed the Nigerian Football Federation or his teammates of the desperate situation of his father

"J & # I was emotionally distraught and had to decide if I was mentally ready to play, "he added. "I was confused, I did not know what to do but at the end I knew I could not drop 180 million Nigerians, I had to close my head and go represent my country first. I could not even inform the coaches or the staff of the NFF and only a very closed circle of my friends knew it.

"I did not want to discuss it either (coach Gernot Rohr) because I did not want that my problem to him or the rest of the team the day of a match so important. Even if I wanted to discuss it with the coach, I could not.

"Fortunately, my father was released safely."

Ebere Amaraizu, superintendent of Enugu police, revealed that (the kidnappers). "

" As part of the rescue, a duel occurred between the police and the kidnappers who forced the thugs to abandon their victims in the forest, "said Amaraizu

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