Army Aiding Fulani Kidnapping In South-East – CSP Johnbull Alleges(Watch)

According to a police officer, Fulani herdsmen are responsible for kidnappings in the South East.

A man who identified himself as CSP Johnbull stated made this allegation in a video we saw on social media. He satated that the matter has been bothering him since he was assigned to Isiochi in Abia state.

See also How these Men allegedly kidnapped and killed a 5-year-old Girl Bauchi (watch)

During an interactive session with locals, he stated that he is doing everything possible to reduce kidnapping and other criminal activities in the area.

CSP Johnbull, commander of the Abia State Rapid Response Squad, revealed that Fulanis are behind the various kidnappings while addressing protestors in the area, Oji, based on the commissioner’s order.

A similar allegation was also made against the army by the Prelate of the Methodist Church of Nigeria, His Eminence, Samuel Kanu-Uche, who was abducted by alleged fulani hoodlums in Abia State.

The prelate said he observed that military men were around the place where the hoodlums operated, while their cows were also around the vicinity.

However, the Nigerian Army has responded to the allegation by the prelate say that allegation cannot “be swallowed hooks line and sinker”.

The Army said this in statement released on her verified Facebook page.

“ALLEGED COMPLICITY BY SOLDIERS IN BISHOP’S KIDNAP UNSUBSTANTIATED

“The Nigerian Army (NA) has been notified of the insinuation making the rounds on social media, alleging complicity of troops of the Nigerian Army in the kidnap incident of the Methodist Prelate in Abia state recently.“

“While the Nigerian Army expresses concern and sympathy for the victim of this heinous crime and shares in his pains, the insinuation that troops are complicit in the kidnap incident is not entirely premised on any findings of investigations and therefore cannot be swallowed hook line and sinker. This allegation therefore raises some pertinent questions which are still unanswered.“

Given, the spate of insecurity in the region, the question would be, was the issue reported to the unit covering the area? Did the Methodist Church take the NA into confidence while negotiating the ransom with the kidnappers? No formal complaint has been received by the unit. More worrisome is the fact that it was alleged that the ransom was paid in less than 24 hours. Was the ransome paid to troops? These are questions that beg for answers.

“Moreso, the NA unit, has not received any debrief from the Prelate or the Methodist Church.
It is therefore, important to state that troops are deployed at Forward Operating Base(FOB) Okigwe and in front of the Abia State University Uturu and no information was made available to them or to 14 Brigade or any other formation, except the information making the rounds in the social media.“

“It must be clarified that troops’ deployment in the Nigerian Army is not done with considerations for ethnic affiliation, hence a deployment of troops of Fulani ethnic extraction who as alleged by the Prelate, carried out the dastardly act is not our practice or modus operandi in the NA.“

“Given our professional disposition and zero tolerance for any misconduct in the Nigerian Army , we will take this weighty allegation seriously and approach the Prelate and the Methodist church to unravel the basis for the allegation.“

“ONYEMA NWACHUKWU
Brigadier General
Director Army Public Relations
1 June 2022“