Major General Abdul Aziz Maktoum Al Sharifi, Director General of Preventive Security and Federal Investigation in the Ministry of Interior, said that the team assigned to free citizen Mohamed Khamis from his kidnappers in Nigeria would not have succeeded had it not been for the support of the higher leadership and the attention it gave, as well as the cooperation of all concerned departments that led to his freedom and the arrest of his kidnappers.
Al Sharifi added: “The operation was named ‘the Prince,’ in reference to the name of the gang leader, who was arrested after a process of investigation and identification of the gang members. The suspects were questioned and later referred to the judicial system. The hostage was freed and secured without sustaining any harm or injury.
Lt. General His Highness Sheikh Saif bin Zayed, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Interior expressed his thanks and appreciation to the family of Mohammed Khamis as H.H. received the freed hostage yesterday at the airport. H.H. thanked Mohammad’s family for their cooperation with the team, and they maintained secrecy during the entire operation, a requirement of the team to be able to apprehend the gangsters and free their hostage.
Major General Al Sharifi warned against fraud investment invitations, especially in unstable regions of the world. He urged the public to report any suspicious cases.
He appreciated the efforts of the Nigerian Police and the staff of the UAE Embassy based there, in addition to the team members who worked day and night to execute the instructions of H.H. the President.
Citizen Mohammed Khamis is 31 years old, lives in Umm Al Qiwain; he departed for Nigeria after he was invited by some people to sign a commercial agreement there, to eventually find himself in the hands of an armed gang. They kept him hostage for two months and asked for a ransom of 5 million dollars.