Juliana Francis
The Nigerian Army (NA) today denied that it has rescued Lieutenant PP Johnson, a female officer who was abducted on Monday 26th of December 2022 while visiting her grandmother in Aku-Okigwe in Imo State by suspected members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).
The Director Army Public Relations, Brigadier General, Onyema Nwachukwu said Johnson was kidnapped shortly after completion of her Cadet training and subsequent commissioning as a Lieutenant into the Nigerian Army.
Nwachukwu added: “A video footage of her abduction had emerged in the social media where her abductors claimed her abduction was in line with their fight for Biafra against the Nigerian State. It is instructive that the officer’s circumstances as a woman and a Nigerian citizen of Southeastern extraction did not dissuade her abductors from dehumanising her in their mindless attempt to commit atrocities under the guise of fighting for Biafra.
“This evidently is another pointer to the myriad of crimes being unleashed by IPOB/ ESN on Ndigbo, the very people they claim to be fighting for their emancipation. It should therefore be crystal clear to those who are still in doubt of the true status of these groups, that IPOB/ESN are terrorists, masquerading as freedom fighters and do not deserve the support of anyone, particularly the good people of South East Nigeria. The NA wishes to state that the information making the rounds is unsubstantiated as the officer is yet to be released or rescued from her abductors. Likewise, the video footage being circulated and associated with the rescue claim is an old video of the arrest of a suspect earlier affected by troops.
“Much as we appreciate the concern and goodwill of the public for her safe rescue, we also wish to note that the information on the rescue of the officer did not emanate from the NA. The Nigerian Army will leave no stone unturned in its effort to rescue the officer and bring the perpetrators to book. We appeal to the general public to provide credible and reliable information that could lead to her safe rescue and arrest of the perpetrators.”
