A Saudi businessman who was rescued from armed kidnappers in Nigeria, has urged other local businessmen traveling to conflict zones and dangerous countries to coordinate their visits with Saudi embassies. Hamdan Bin Saleh Bin Twala Al-Shammari was in Nigeria for business and medical treatment when he was kidnapped at Abuja Airport in Lagos by a gang posing as businessmen. The kidnappers demanded $150 million (SR563 million) for his release, before he was dramatically rescued when his mobile phone signal was tracked down. Al-Shammari says: “I survived this armed mob by a miracle. I never imagined that this could happen to me.” He arrived at King Khaled International Airport Monday and told Okaz/Saudi Gazette about his traumatic ordeal. “At first seeing the armed men seemed more like a nightmare than reality. I was cautious talking to them during the first six hours of my kidnapping because they were armed and looked dangerous. I told them about Islam, that all religions prohibit kidnapping and that it harms Nigeria's reputation. “One of them replied that he knew that, but kidnapping is his job and it happens regularly to foreign businessmen. He told me ‘Don't be scared, the money will be paid by those who love you'.” Al-Shammari said that he struck a bond with the gang leader's sister who was a nurse. “She sympathized with me. On the fourth day, she asked the armed men to unload their weapons and warned them not to raise the weapons in my face. She told them I had high blood pressure and diabetes and if I died they would not get their ransom.” Al-Shammari thought about escaping, but feared other gangs lurking outside, and instead sent the kidnappers' car plate number to his brother via a text message. His brother contacted the Saudi Embassy, “during which time I prayed and read a copy of the Qur'an that I had”. He narrated the story of his dramatic rescue. “A day before I was freed, I was looking from a window overlooking the street, when a man stopped and stared at me like he was checking my features. I thought he was another gang leader so I closed the window and went back to pray. After a while I opened the window again and found the same man carrying a fire arm.” “What are you doing here?” I asked. He said he was a security man and told me to go inside and close the window, which I did immediately.” Hours later the house was surrounded and the head of the gang, the armed guard and the nurse were arrested. __
