Nigerian Army says abducted female soldier still in den of unknown gunmen

The Nigerian Army has debunked the purported rescue of a female soldier who was abducted by unknown gunmen in Imo State on Monday.

The female soldier, Lieutenant PP Johnson, was abducted in Aku Ihube in Okigwe local government area of the state while visiting her grandmother, shortly after completion of her Cadet training.

After her abduction, the gunmen released a video where she was stripped naked with the gunmen threatening to kill her.

However, a new video was in circulation on Friday with the news that Johnson had been rescued. But in a statement issued by the Director Army Public Relations, Brigadier General Onyema Nwachukwu, refuted the purported rescue of the female soldier.

The statement reads:

“The attention of the Nigerian Army (NA) has been drawn to some publications circulating in the social media insinuating the rescue of Lieutenant PP Johnson, a female officer who was abducted on Monday, 26 December, 2022, while visiting her grandmother in Aku-Okigwe in Imo state, shortly after completion of her Cadet training and subsequent commissioning as a Lieutenant into the Nigerian Army.

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“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 circumstance as a woman and a Nigerian citizen of South Eastern extraction did not dissuade her abductors from dehumanizing her in their mindless attempt to commit atrocities under the guise of fighting for Biafra.

“This evidently is another pointer to the myriads 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 effected by troops.

“Much as we appreciate the concern and goodwill of the general 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.”

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