Umm Al Quwain: The sleepy suburb of Al Sha'abiyah Al Badha turned into a scene of jubilation as Mohammad Khamis Majid, who was rescued from kidnappers in Nigeria last week, returned home from hospital on Monday.
The 29-year-old Emirati had been suffering from malaria when he landed in the UAE in a special jet at the Al Bateen Airport on March 21. He was admitted to the Zayed Military Hospital in Abu Dhabi.
Mohammad, who works in the special security forces, was kidnapped in Nigeria on January 20 when a building maintenance company convinced him to go to the country to sign a business agreement and to determine the location of a proposed new project.
When he reached Nigeria, the gang kidnapped him and stole his belongings, before demanding a ransom of $5 million (Dh18.37 million).
Majid was reunited with his family thanks to the efforts of Lt General Shaikh Saif Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior, who was in constant contact with Nigerian authorities as well as his family.
On Monday, the entire town, including his family, friends, relatives and neighbours, converged at the main roundabout of Umm Al Quwain city. They took Mohammad home in a convoy of hundreds of cars.
As they reached Mohammad's house at Al Sha'abiya Al Bada, hundreds of people had already gathered there, dancing to traditional Emirati tunes.
His mother, Umm Mohammad, was beaming. "I cannot describe my happiness, I was so worried when he was not here. I prayed to Allah throughout and now that he is here, I thank the Almighty for his mercy and I thank Shaikh Saif and all others who helped us through the worst time of our life," the mother of seven said.
Umm Mohammad added that she would not let Mohammad, the eldest of her two sons and five daughters, go anywhere now. "I cannot bear his absence, I won't let him go anywhere. I will lock his passport in a safe and won't let him go out of town."
Mohammad, visibly elated and relieved to be back, said he did not know how to thank Allah for giving him a second life.
"For two months, I was in a dark and dirty room, without food and water. I spent most of the time praying to Allah to reunite me with my family. But I never thought it would happen so soon. I'm overwhelmed by the love and affection shown by everyone," Mohammad said, as he escaped the long queue of people waiting to embrace him.
Mohammad especially thanked His Highness Shaikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE, Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, Shaikh Saif, and Shaikh Abdullah Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE Foreign Minister, for the support.
With inputs from Shafaat Shahbandari
