Kidnapped Nigerian nuns released unconditionally, congregation says

Two Nigerian women religious, Sister Vincentia Maria Nwankwo and Sister Grace Mariette Okoli, who were kidnapped on January 7 while returning home from a meeting in Ogboji, Anambra State, were released on January 13 without any conditions, according to their congregation. Both are members of the Congregation of the Sisters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary Mother of Christ of Onitsha.

The congregation expressed gratitude for the prayers and support during the ordeal and confirmed the sisters’ good health. Sister Vincentia Maria is the principal of Archbishop Charles Heerey Memorial Model Secondary School in Ufuma, and Sister Grace Mariette heads Immaculate Girls Model Secondary School in Nnewi.

Following the abduction, Sister Maria Sobenna Ikeotuonye, the congregation’s secretary general, had called for prayers for their safe release. The organization Intersociety, known for advocating civil liberties and human rights in Nigeria, also demanded their immediate release, highlighting the rising incidents of kidnappings and attacks on clergy in Nigeria.

Emeka Umeagbalasi, Intersociety’s executive director, criticized the security agencies’ inefficacy, citing a series of recent abductions, including that of his family members, although they escaped unscathed. In Nigeria, the armed gangs, often targeting Christians, have made recent years notably violent, with substantial ransom demands and numerous kidnappings by groups like the Fulani herders and Boko Haram.

Between September 2022 and August 2023, 21 Catholic priests were kidnapped, reflecting the worsening security situation. A report from Intersociety highlighted that over nine years, around 32,300 civilians were killed, and approximately 65,000 were forced to pay ransoms totaling $320 million. Tragically, those unable to pay were often killed, even as others faced torture before being released. The violence continues amid Nigeria’s struggle with various terrorist organizations.