Former Super Eagles Coach Samson Siasia has made another passionate appeal to the Nigerian government as well as others in a position to help, to secure the release of his mother.
Ogere Siasia, 76, was kidnapped in Bayelsa over 70 days ago and there has been no headway either in neither arresting her abductors nor securing her release. While speaking with the BBC on Tuesday, Mr. Siasia suggested there are no positive updates from the police yet to give optimism that his mother would soon regain her freedom.
“The police said it’s been difficult to track these kidnappers, but my great concern is that my mother is very sick,” Siasia told BBC Sport.
“For someone who is unwell to be held against her will is not only callous but heartbreaking and sad.
“So I can only keep appealing to these guys to please let my mother go. I would like for the government or whoever is capable to help me bring my mother back.”
This is the second time in four years that Mrs Siasia has been kidnapped. She was held by gunmen for 12 days before her release back in November 2015. Although the Bayelsa State police said they are trying everything possible to rescue Mrs. Siasia unharmed, the former Super Eagles coach who only recently was slammed with a life ban for alleged match-fixing wants everybody that matters to intervene.
“What more can I do but plead for assistance from the government, police and my country that I served as a player and coach,” he said.
“My mother is seriously sick and this bothers me a lot. I don’t know where or who to turn to at this point.
“I’ve not had a job for three years, battling with a Fifa ban appeal and to have my sick mother in the hands of kidnappers, I just feel extremely tired.”
Among many other accomplishments, Siasia prides himself as the most decorated African football coach at the Olympics, winning silver at the Beijing Games in 2008 and bronze at the 2016 Games in Rio. Premium Times
Pix: Samson Siasia
