Umm Al Quwain: Mohammad Khamis Majid, a 29-year-old Emirati who was kidnapped by a gang in Nigeria, was reunited with his family on Wednesday night after he arrived at Al Bateen Airport in Abu Dhabi in a special jet.
Majid, who worked in the special security forces, was kidnapped in Nigeria on January 20 when a building maintenance company convinced him to go to Nigeria to sign a business agreement and to determine the location of a proposed new project. The kidnappers told him they would pay him in advance to lead him into a trap.
The Emirati’s relieved family thanked President His Highness Shaikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, and Lieutenant General Shaikh Saif Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior, for their efforts to bringg Mohammad back safely.
Good tidings
The victim’s brother, Majid Khamis Mohammad, told Gulf News that “Shaikh Saif was the first to break the good tidings to my mother about my brother’s release.
“He promised her that he would bring him on Mother’s Day and he fulfilled his promise. He told her that the Eid would be two Eids. Shaikh Saif told my mother, ‘I am your son, and your brothers Shaikh Khalifa and Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid send their greetings to you,” Mohammad added.
The brother praised the efforts of Shaikh Saif, who had called the family daily during the crisis to update them about what was going on.
Mohammad said that the kidnappers stole Majid’s money, mobile phone and credit cards and later started demanding ransom of Dh18.3 million ($5 million). Majid’s mother, wife and three-and-a-half-year-old son Hamdan rushed from their home in Umm Al Quwain and welcomed Majid at Al Bateen Airport in Abu Dhabi, Mohammad said.
Their mother was eagerly waiting to see her son again, he added.
Grief
“My mother suffered a lot. She would cry all the time and ask me, ‘Where is your brother? What happened to him?’ Every day I would give her many excuses just to appease her,” Mohammad said.
He added that Majid’s son, Hamdan, had suffered a lot due to his father’s absence. Mohammad said: “I asked Hamdan, ‘Where is your father?’ He went to his room and brought a photo of his father telling me, ‘Here is my father. He is inside I wonder why he cannot go outside.’
Meanwhile, Gulf News visited Majid’s house in Al Sha’abiyah Al Badha’ in Umm Al Quwain. A wedding-like atmosphere greeted visitors as the outside was beautifully decorated. All Majid’s relatives and neighbours were eagerly awaiting him. “We thank all the people who are with us…“ Mohammad said. “I walked into the Interior Ministry building to report my brother’s abduction, the officials there were immediately involved and keen to help my brother and to release him.”
Majid was taken to Zayed Military Hospital immediately after his arrival. He was sick, suffering from malaria and had lost a substantial amount of weight.
He has been traumatised as a result of his abduction, however, he was very happy to return home. He was embraced by all members of his family in a very emotional and touching manner.
