Samson Siasia pleads for his mom's release

Nigeria’s former player and coach, Samson Siasia whose mother has been kidnapped for 10 weeks now, pleaded for her release noting she’s sick prior to the occurrence of the incident.

Mrs Ogere Siasia, 76, and two others have been held captive since they were seized in Bayelsa, southern Nigeria ten weeks ago, a BBC report stated.

But Siasia says the police are no closer to finding her.

“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.”

Siasia recently filed an appeal against a life ban for match-fixing, imposed by FIFA.
It’s the second time in four years that Mrs Siasia has been kidnapped after she was held by gunmen for 12 days, before being released back in November 2015.

Siasia, who played over 50 national games while scoring 16 goals, has had little contact with his mother, but believe she is unwell.

According to BBC report, the Bayelsa state police said they are currently trying to rescue her unharmed, the former Nantes and Lokeren striker says he is a broken man who needs the support of a nation he served.
“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 been jobless 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.”
A former international, Siasia won the 1994 Africa Cup of Nations with Nigeria and played in their maiden World Cup appearance later that same year.

As a coach, he led his country’s under-20 and under-23 sides to continental success in 2005 and 2015 respectively.

He also guided the U20s to a runners-up finish at the 2005 World Youth Championships (as it was known at the time) in the Netherlands.

Siasia is currently the most decorated African football coach at the Olympics, winning silver at the Beijing Games in 2008 and winning bronze at the 2016 Games in Rio.