Africa’s youngest billionaire kidnapped outside luxury hotel

Africa’s youngest billionaire was kidnapped Thursday while heading into a luxury hotel for his morning workout, according to reports.

Mohammed “Mo” Dewji was abducted outside the oceanfront Colosseum Hotel and Fitness Club in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, BBC News reported.

The kidnappers, two of whom were described as white men, fired shots into the air before peeling off with Dewji in a car, witnesses said.

Dewji, 43, has a net worth of $1.5 billion and is Tanzania’s only billionaire, according to Forbes. He is the CEO of METL, a conglomerate founded by his father in the 1970s focused on textile manufacturing, flour mills, drinks and edible oils.

He drove himself to the gym, located in the affluent town of Oyster Bay, and had no security guards with him at the time, Dar es Salaam regional police commissioner Paul Makonda said.

Three people have been arrested in connection with the kidnapping and two are believed to be foreign nationals, police said.

A motive is still unclear.

Dewji is also a major sponsor of Tanzania soccer team Simba SC and served two terms in Tanzania’s parliament, retiring in early 2015.

In 2016, the married father of three vowed to donate at least half of his earnings to philanthropic causes.