Source: Team_Talk
Blues star Mikel's dad kidnapped
Chelsea midfielder John Obi Mikel has appealed for information on the whereabouts of his father, who has been abducted in his native Nigeria.[LNB] Mikel played in Sunday's 0-0 draw at Stoke despite learning a day previously that his father had gone missing on Friday.[LNB]Speaking on Sky Sports News, Mikel said he and his family are yet to hear anything regarding his father's whereabouts or who might have taken him, and he made a direct appeal for his father's release.[LNB]"Please just let him go," he said. "He's just an old man, he hasn't done any harm to anyone as far as I know and I don't know why he has been taken."[LNB]Michael Obi, who runs a transport company, has not been seen or heard from since he failed to return home from work in Jos, the capital of Plateau State in central Nigeria.[LNB]With no contact made and no ransom demand yet received, Mikel is seeking information and help from anyone who can provide it.[LNB]"Nigeria is the country I am from, I've always tried to help my country in any way I can, playing for my country or anything," he said. "This is a time where I need the country to help me. Whoever has got my dad, whoever knows where my dad is, please contact me and hopefully he can be released."[LNB]Mikel was told about the situation by Chelsea manager Andre Villas-Boas and his own agent after training on Saturday, and turned out at Stoke with only one of his team-mates - Salomon Kalou - aware of the situation.[LNB]"I was actually in having a massage when the manager sent for me," Kalou said. "I went to his office, he said, 'There is a situation, your dad is missing'.[LNB]"I didn't know about it, obviously. My family didn't want to tell me until after the game."[LNB]Mikel said he asked for time to absorb the news but, after speaking with his family, he told Villas-Boas he still wanted to play.[LNB]"I was shocked," he said on Monday. "(Villas-Boas) asked me what I wanted to do, did I still want to go to the game. I told him I needed a couple of hours to speak to my family and my agent.[LNB]"I told him I would like to play the game because I wouldn't want to let my team down, let the club down and obviously let my family down. I think if I didn't play that game, my mum would be very sad with me. I spoke to my mum before the game and she told me to go out there and be strong...[LNB]"I don't think my team-mates really know about it at the moment," he added. "I told (Didier) Drogba about it today and before the game I told Kalou because he is a very good friend.[LNB]"But I didn't want everyone coming to me saying, 'I'm sorry, I'm sorry'. I just wanted to get on with it."
