Vincentia Nwankwo and Grace Okoli, the two reverend sisters attached to the Sisters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary (IHM), Onitsha, Anambra kidnapped on January 7, have been released six days after they went missing.

The IHM confirmed their release on Monday. The mission said they were released unconditionally and in good health.

“I bring to your notice in joy that our dear Sisters Vincentia Maria Nwankwo and Grace Mariette Okoli, who were kidnapped in the evening of Tuesday, January 7, 2025, have been released unconditionally and in good health,” a statement signed by Sister Maria Sobenna Ikeotuonye, the IHM Secretary General, read in part.

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Nwankwo and Okoli, who were travelling from Ogboji, a community in Orumba North Local Government, went missing along Ufuma Road.

The sisters were returning from a vocational association’s meeting.

On Friday, FIJ spoke to an insider at the mission who said that there were no leads on the sisters’ suspected abduction as their captors failed to make contact with them.

“No lead, as regards this particular situation, we have chosen to be off everything, interrogation or discussion but to keep praying. We are just praying,” the insider said.

“Everything about this matter in question now, I do not know any details. What I know is that they went out and did not return. Whoever went out and did not return, you will know that something has happened, and you can’t reach them.”

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FIJ put a call through to the Sisters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary (IHM), Onitsha, Anambra on Tuesday, to confirm the release of the reverend sisters but they did not take their calls.

When FIJ also called Tochukwu Ikenga, the Anambra State Police Command spokesperson, to confirm their release, he asked for a text instead. However, he has yet to respond to the two text messages sent to him at press time.

“To the glory of God, the two sisters of the congregation of the Immaculate Heart of Mary who were kidnapped on the 7th of January have been released. While we thank God for their safe release, we continue to ask the government [at] all levels to prioritise the security of lives,” Ugochukwu Ugwoke, a Nigerian Catholic priest, commented on Monday.