A British mother of two, Nusrat Osman, 47, was rescued after being abducted in Malawi last week, according to police. Inspector General Richard Luhanga confirmed she is safe and has been reunited with her family following a police operation in Blantyre on Thursday. Four suspected kidnappers were killed during the operation.
The Malawi Police Service reported that their officers exchanged gunfire with the armed suspects, who were carrying an AK-47 rifle and a Girsan Regard MC pistol. Police stated, “The criminals got shot and were rushed to the hospital where they succumbed to their injuries.” During the incident, Deputy Inspector General of Police Noel Kayira was also injured and is currently in stable condition in hospital.
Osman’s brother, Shobi Jiwa, informed the local news outlet Nation Online about her rescue and the police officer’s injuries. Osman, who works for a local auditing firm, was taken from her car around 12.30pm on Friday, September 11, in a Blantyre neighbourhood.
Originally from Leicester, Osman and her family had moved to Malawi after her husband started a business there. Prior to her rescue, the police were searching for four men who used a grey car in the kidnapping. The motive remains unclear, as the suspects made no contact with Osman’s family or authorities.
A reward of approximately £12,600 was offered for information leading to her rescue and the capture of the kidnappers. Local politician Atupele Muluzi commented on the situation, calling it “deeply disturbing” and highlighting the growing frequency of such incidents in Malawi. The UK Foreign Office acknowledged awareness of the kidnapping and was in touch with local authorities.
