Emiratis warned over suspect foreign deals

The Ministry of Interior has warned Emiratis against rushing to grab what it described as suspected business deals in troubled areas abroad following the kidnapping of a national businessman in Nigeria.

In a statement, a senior Ministry official said UAE businessmen must take utmost care and quickly inform authorities in case they see anything suspicious while on business trips in hot-spot areas outside the country.

“We advise you not to rush after suspected and unreliable investment offers, especially when they come from hot-spot areas abroad,” said Major General Abdul Aziz Al Sharifi, Director-General of the preventive security and federal investigation division at the Ministry of Interior.

He said the UAE leadership’s concern about citizens and cooperation by all concerned parties contributed to the liberation of UAE businessman Mohammed Khamis Majid from kidnapers in Nigeria this week.

Sharifi said the operation which was conducted by a joint UAE-Nigeria force was codenamed “Prince”, adding that it was named after the captors’ leader.

“We have identified that leader and arrested him and the other captors…they all have been referred to the concerned judicial authorities,” he said without making clear whether the captors are held in Nigeria or the UAE.

Mohammed, 30, flew to Nigeria on January 19 to sign a $900,000 deal for buildings maintenance in the African country arranged by an Arab lawyer residing in the UAE. There he was paid $20,000 in advance and later called his mother to tell her he had arrived and was safe.

A few days later, Mohammed’s family could no longer reach him as his phone was turned off although he had told his wife and mother he would be late.

Police in Umm Al Quwain later broke the sad news to his family that Mohammed was kidnapped by a Nigerian gang which demanded a $5million ransom, which was later reduced by the captors to just $100,000.Mohammed was freed on Tuesday and reunited with his family in Umm Al Quwain on Thursday.
 

Follow Emirates 24|7 on Google News.