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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Nigeria footballer's brother free | Nigeria footballer's brother free |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| The elder brother of Nigerian and Everton football star Joseph Yobo has been released after being kidnapped by gunmen 12 days ago. | The elder brother of Nigerian and Everton football star Joseph Yobo has been released after being kidnapped by gunmen 12 days ago. |
| Norum Yobo was seized at a hotel in Port Harcourt, the main city of the oil-rich Niger Delta region, where kidnappings for ransom are frequent. | |
| The BBC's Oluwashina Okeleji says Nornu Yobo has flown into Lagos and has been reunited with his family. | The BBC's Oluwashina Okeleji says Nornu Yobo has flown into Lagos and has been reunited with his family. |
| Joseph Yobo told the BBC he was happy his brother had been freed safely. | Joseph Yobo told the BBC he was happy his brother had been freed safely. |
| "I feel so relieved and better now. It was a horrible experience that really affected me mentally and physically," he told the BBC. | "I feel so relieved and better now. It was a horrible experience that really affected me mentally and physically," he told the BBC. |
| Kidnapper hunt | Kidnapper hunt |
| Our reporter says Norum Yobo was released on Wednesday evening, but it is not clear if a ransom was paid. | |
| Police in Port Harcourt said the hunt for the kidnappers was still on. | Police in Port Harcourt said the hunt for the kidnappers was still on. |
| I just want to say a big thank you to the management of Everton Football Club and the fans for their support Joseph Yobo | I just want to say a big thank you to the management of Everton Football Club and the fans for their support Joseph Yobo |
| Spokeswoman Rita Inoma-Abbey told the BBC they had earlier received a demand for 200m naira ($1.7m, £862,000) for Nornu Yobo's safe return. | Spokeswoman Rita Inoma-Abbey told the BBC they had earlier received a demand for 200m naira ($1.7m, £862,000) for Nornu Yobo's safe return. |
| "We have the phone number and we're trying to track them down using that," she said. | "We have the phone number and we're trying to track them down using that," she said. |
| The Everton star, who is currently in Lagos, said he was grateful for all the support he had received over the kidnapping. | The Everton star, who is currently in Lagos, said he was grateful for all the support he had received over the kidnapping. |
| "I just want to say a big thank you to the management of Everton Football Club and the fans for their support. | "I just want to say a big thank you to the management of Everton Football Club and the fans for their support. |
| "Also some close family members here in Nigeria as well as everyone who played a significant role in the safe release of Norum." | |
| He said he would return to England this weekend. | He said he would return to England this weekend. |
| "I can now take a rest after this sad event," he said. | "I can now take a rest after this sad event," he said. |
| "I have not had time to really relax after the hectic Premier League season, as well the World Cup qualifiers." | "I have not had time to really relax after the hectic Premier League season, as well the World Cup qualifiers." |
| Our correspondent says kidnappings - more often of oil workers - have become a common occurrence in the south of Nigeria. | Our correspondent says kidnappings - more often of oil workers - have become a common occurrence in the south of Nigeria. |
| Although Nigeria is Africa's top oil producer and the bulk of that oil comes from the Niger Delta area, the region remains deeply impoverished, he says. | Although Nigeria is Africa's top oil producer and the bulk of that oil comes from the Niger Delta area, the region remains deeply impoverished, he says. |