She wept like a baby, tears rolling down freely from her eyes before a battery of television cameras and a horde of reporters.
The 80 years old grandmother was reliving her 75 days experience in the custody of her abductors, who freed her on Sunday.
“It was terrible,” she said asking: “Why do they like to kidnap me?”
Madam Beauty Uguoere Siasia inadvertently answered the question, saying, “They said my son is a millionaire.”
The abductors of the mother of former Super Eagles coach Samson Siasia are ready to make money from what has become a lucrative business —kidnapping for ransom.
It was the second time she was being kidnapped. The first time in November 2015, she was released after 12 days in captivity. Perhaps, those who did it then made a haul and returned or it is a new team seeking new avenue.
Around 2a.m on July 19, some armed men stormed her home in Odoni, Sagbama Local Government Area of Bayelsa State.
They took her away. They demanded ransom which her son did not have.
Siasia is one of Nigeria’s most successful footballers and coach.
As a striker, he scored some of the most memorable goals for the country as a member of the golden generation of the national team that represented the country in its maiden appearance at the FIFA World Cup, USA 1994.
Siasia scored Nigeria’s goal against Diego Maradona-led Argentina team in the group stage. After retirement, he went into coaching, taking the Under-23 team to enviable heights before he was upgraded as coach of the Super Eagles.
Madam Siasia said after whisking her away to an unknown place, her assailants fed her with garri and bought drugs for her.
Admitting that they “took care” of her by not beating her and sometimes preparing soup for everybody in their camp to eat
She said:
“I was in my house when they came to kidnap me. They took me to their place. They took care of me. I was sick and they bought me drugs. They cooked and gave to me. They didn’t beat me. There were days that there was no food. Those days they drank garri and gave me garri to drink as well.