Nusrat Osman Rescued in Malawi After Six-Day Abduction

BLANTYRE, Malawi — British national Nusrat Jiwa Osman has been rescued and is safe, nearly a week after she was abducted in Malawi’s commercial capital, Blantyre.

Malawi’s Inspector General of Police, Richard Luhanga, confirmed on Thursday that the 47-year-old mother of two had been safely recovered following a police operation.

The rescue brings an end to a six-day search that had raised widespread concern among Osman’s family, colleagues and members of the public.

However, the operation was not without danger.

A senior Malawi police officer was shot and wounded during the rescue, according to information provided by Osman’s family.

Local media have identified the officer as Deputy Inspector General of Police Noel Mlowoka Kayira. He is reported to have survived the shooting.

Police have not yet released a detailed account of the confrontation.

Abducted in Blantyre

Osman was abducted on 11 September in the Mount Pleasant area of Blantyre.

Police said four men travelling in a grey Nissan Dualis were involved in the abduction. The incident reportedly took place at about 12:30 local time.

Authorities launched a search operation and appealed to the public for information that could help locate Osman and identify those responsible.

A reward of 30 million Malawian kwacha was subsequently offered for information leading to her rescue and the arrest, prosecution and conviction of those behind the kidnapping.

Motive remains unclear

The motive for the abduction has not been established.

Reports indicated that Osman’s family had not received a ransom demand during the period she was missing.

Her husband, Nazil Osman, had previously spoken publicly about the family’s uncertainty over why she had been taken.

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Osman is originally from Leicester in the United Kingdom and is reported to have two children. She works as an auditor for Audit Consult Limited in Malawi.

British authorities were also reported to have been in contact with Malawian officials over the case.

Questions remain after rescue

While the safe recovery of Osman has brought relief to her family, several questions remain unanswered.

Authorities have not yet publicly confirmed who was responsible for the abduction, whether arrests have been made or what happened during the period Osman was held.

Details of the police operation, including the circumstances in which the officer was shot, have also yet to be fully explained.

The investigation is expected to continue as police work to identify those responsible and establish the motive behind the kidnapping.

For Osman’s family, the immediate priority is her safety and recovery following six days of uncertainty.

Further details are expected from the Malawi Police Service as the investigation develops.