Five days after, kidnapped female soldier still in captivity, Nigerian Army says

Meanwhile, the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has reacted to the allegations by the Nigerian Army that its members kidnapped a female soldier, Lt P.P Johnson in Enugu on Monday.

A female soldier, Lt. PP Johnson, who was abducted by some unknown gunmen on December 26, is still being held in a forest in the Southeast, the Nigerian Army said on Friday.

A statement by Brig.-Gen. Onyema Nwachukwu, the Director of Army Public Relations, said Thursday’s information on the purported rescue of the soldier did not emanate from the department.

It added that a video showing the arrest of the alleged suspects is an old one.

“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.

“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.

“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 statement said.

Meanwhile, the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has reacted to the allegations by the Nigerian Army that its members kidnapped a female soldier, Lt P.P Johnson in Enugu on Monday.

According to the Army on Friday, IPOB and its militia wing, Eastern Security Network (ESN) abducted Lt. Johnson on Boxing Day while visiting her grandmother in Imo State.

The army, in a statement, by its Director of Public Relations, Gen Onyema Nwachukwu vowed that no stone would be left unturned until the female officer is found.

“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 and do not deserve the support of anyone, particularly the good people of South East Nigeria.”

But reacting, the Media and Publicity Secretary of IPOB, Emma Powerful, said it was not responsible for the kidnapping of Lt Johnson.

“Nigeria Army has again started building up another lie against innocent IPOB that IPOB captured an Army Lt in Enugu.

“IPOB is not responsible for the abduction of this Army woman and IPOB is not unknown gunmen and can never be. We are advising the Nigerian Army to arrest those responsible for this heinous crime against the woman,” he said.