A female officer of the Nigerian Army, Lt. P.P Johnson, abducted in Imo State allegedly by the proscribed Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB) is yet to be released as being speculated.
The Director, Army Public Relations, Brigadier General Onyema Nwachukwu, who said this in a statement issued yesterday, confirmed that the female officer was abducted on December 26 while visiting her grandmother in Aku-Okigwe in Imo shortly after passing out of her training as a cadet and becoming a Lieutenant of the Nigerian Army.
Brigadier General Nwachukwu said the Army would surely rescue the officer and prosecute her abductors, adding, “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.
“The Nigerian Army states that the information making the rounds that Lt. Johnson had been released or rescued from her abductors is unsubstantiated as the officer has yet to be released or rescued.
“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 Nigerian Army.”
The Army Spokesperson said it was curious that the officer’s abductors, who claimed she was a casualty of their fight for Biafra against the Nigerian state, were not concerned that she is a lady and a citizen of Nigeria from the South-east.
He said this 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 Ndi Igbo, 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 and ESN are terrorists.
“They are masquerading as freedom fighters and do not deserve the support of anyone, particularly the good people of South-east Nigeria.”