Nusrat Osman, an auditor for Malawi based company Audit Consult Limited, was abducted in broad daylight in Blantyre. She was taken outside of her home on Sep. 11th at around 12:30pm local time. Though Osman is British by birth, she lives in the country’s southern tip with her husband, Nazil Osman, and their two children. The Malawi Police Service (MPS) began a full investigation into Osman’s whereabouts and released a statement saying they believed she was taken by 4 men driving a grey Nissan Dualis. Her husband Nazil made a statement to the Nyasa Times saying “I don’t know where she is or how she is. My wife is an auditor and I have no issues with anyone.” 7 days after her abduction, Osman was found on Sep. 18th in Mpemba/Chadzunda outside of Blantyre. The MPS released a statement via Facebook and said “The victim was rescued in Mpemba/Chadzunda today September 17, 2026 during an intelligence led Police operation. There was an exchange of fire between Police and the kidnappers who were armed with AK47 rifles and a Girsan Regard MC pistol. In the process, the criminals got shot and were rushed to the hospital where they succumbed to their injuries.”
Image of Nusrat Osman.
The motive for the kidnapping is still under investigation. Despite this kidnapping, Malawi has actually seen a decrease in crime rates. In 2025, the country saw a 6% decrease in total crimes from 2024, 3% decrease in murder rates and a 9% decrease in robberies. The crimes the country is usually faced with include burglaries, armed robberies, and pickpocketing, with kidnappings considered to be rare in the country. The MPS largely credits more resources to patrol and intelligence-led policing with quicker response times for the decline. The U.S State Department rates Malawi at a level 2 out of 4 on their travel advisory scale, meaning to “exercise increased caution” or considered a “moderate” safety risk. Malawi is one of the poorest countries in the world with a population of about 22 million but an average income of only $672 according to the World Bank. However, despite Malawi’s low economic standing, the country has a rich agricultural sector, providing a huge amount of cash crops for the region of southeast Africa. They are also expected to have long term sustainable growth agriculturally, tracking until 2038.
Sources:
International Trade Administration. “Malawi – Agricultural Sector.” Www.Trade.Gov, 15 Aug.
2022, https://www.trade.gov/country-commercial-guides/malawi-agricultural-sector.
“Malawi: Crime Down 6 Percent, Road Accidents Drop 11.” allAfrica.Com, 2 Jan. 2026, https://allafrica.com/stories/202601020301.html.
“Malawi | Travel Advisory.” State.Gov, 2026, https://travel.state.gov/en/international-travel/travel-advisories/malawi.html.
Pumza Fihlani. “British Woman Abducted in Malawi, Police Say.” BBC, 15 Sept. 2026, https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c60qx40xnkedo.
Savage, Rachel. “British Woman Who Was Kidnapped in Malawi Rescued by Police After Shootout.” The Guardian, The Guardian, 18 Sept. 2026, https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/sep/18/british-woman-kidnapped-malawi-polic e-shootout.
About the Author
Hi! I’m Lucy! A current Sophomore Mathematics and International Studies major. There is so much that is crammed into the news these days with news outlets bombarding you with current events headlines that readers think are most relevant to the times. But there are so many current issues that do not get the air time they deserve and everyone needs to be made aware about them. So stop on by for some current issues and events happening around the world that you can easily digest on your coffee break.
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