THE Nigerian Army has debunked reports of the release of a female soldier identified as P. P. Johnson, who was abducted in the Aku-Okigwe area of Imo State.
There were reports that Johnson, who was abducted by suspected members of the proscribed Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB) on December 26 while visiting her grandmother, has been rescued.
However, Director, Army Public Relations, Onyeka Nwachukwu, has explained that the soldier is still being held by her abductors.
Read Also:
- Army reacts to soldier’s alleged suicide in Abeokuta
- Abducted former Nasarawa deputy governor regains freedom
- Soldier kills colleague, NGO staff, injures co-pilot of UN helicopter
“The attention of the Nigerian Army (NA) has been drawn to some publications circulating in the social media insinuating the rescue of Johnson, who was abducted on Monday, December 26, 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.
“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,” a statement released by the Army spokesperson on Friday, December 30, said.
While appealing to the public to disclose relevant information which would aid ongoing investigations into the soldier’s abduction, Nwachukwu noted that efforts were being made to rescue the abductee and apprehend the perpetrators.
Ijeoma Opara is a journalist with The ICIR. Reach her via [email protected] or @ije_le on Twitter.