Malawi police announced on Thursday, Sept. 17, 2026, that they rescued Nusrat Osman, a 47-year-old British national who had been abducted the previous week. The rescue occurred during a police operation in the southern city of Blantyre that resulted in the deaths of four suspected kidnappers. Inspector General Richard Luhanga confirmed that Osman is safe and has been reunited with her family.
Osman, an employee at a local auditing firm and mother of two, was kidnapped at approximately 12:30 p.m. local time on Friday, Sept. 11, 2026. She and her family had relocated to Malawi from Leicester, England, after her husband established a business in the country. Before the rescue, authorities had offered a reward of approximately £12,600 for information leading to her rescue and the arrest and conviction of those responsible.
The Malawi Police Service reported that officers engaged in a shootout with the suspects, who were armed with an AK-47 rifle and a Girsan Regard MC pistol. The four suspects were shot during the exchange and died from their injuries after being transported to a hospital. During the operation, Deputy Inspector General of Police Noel Kayira sustained gunshot wounds; he was reported to be in stable condition at a hospital.
Local politician Atupele Muluzi noted that kidnappings, which were previously rare in Malawi, are becoming increasingly frequent.
For the Osman family, the rescue concludes a six-day period during which the suspects had made no contact with the family or authorities. The UK Foreign Office had remained in contact with local authorities throughout the search for the British citizen.
As of Sept. 18, 2026, no further details regarding the identity of the deceased suspects or potential accomplices have been released.