Nigerian football legend and former Arsenal striker, Kanu Nwankwo was robbed of $11,000 in cash after arriving in Moscow from London.
The cash was reportedly stolen from his suitcase. Russian police said it was taken by two loaders at Moscow’s Sheremetyevo Airport.
Kanu reported the money missing when he reached Kaliningrad, where he was playing in a World Cup curtain raiser game organised by FIFA.
Lt-Col Irina Volk, spokeswoman for the Russian Interior Ministry, said the loaders were dealing with the baggage from a London to Moscow flight.
‘The stolen cash was removed (from the loaders) and will soon be returned to the owner’, she said.
The loaders, aged 30 and 36, who have been arrested could be sent to jail for up to six years.
Speaking to the media. Kanu did not mention being robbed as he said nice things about the place.
‘Kaliningrad is a very nice city with very nice people,’ said Nwankwo Kanu.’It’s really good to be here. The stadium is fantastic, I liked the atmosphere inside and also enjoyed being in the players’ dressing room. The pitch is marvellous and, actually, that’s all you need as a player. The FIFA World Cup is the greatest football tournament on the planet – every team dreams of being part of it and I am sure it will be a very special event in Russia.
‘Nigeria will be a big surprise, for sure. We have good young and talented players; they are hungry for victories and want to do well – for themselves and for the country.’
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