Gunmen have abducted three Catholic nuns and a seminarian in Nigeria’s South-east.
The hoodlums abducted the victims on 5 October while they were heading to Imo state for a burial.
Gloria Nnamchi, the vicar-general of the Missionary Daughters of Mater Ecclesiae in Nigeria confirmed the incident in a short note, according to a post on the official Facebook page of the Catholic Broadcast Commission of Nigeria.
Ms Nnamchi, a Catholic nun, said the hoodlums also abducted the driver of the car.
The vicar-general gave the names of the three abducted nuns as Rosemary Ejiowokeoghere, Maria Okoye and Josephine Chinyekwuo.
The name of the abducted seminarian is Peter Eyakeno, while the driver is Emmanuel Awoke.
She said the victims were serving at the Catholic Diocese of Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, another state in the South-east.
The abductors have contacted the missionary organisation, and have asked for a ransom, she said.
She appealed to Catholic faithful to pray for the “safe release” of the victims.
A Catholic priest in Abakaliki, who asked not to be named, told Premium Times, Thursday morning that the diocese had been troubled by the incident.
“The ransom I was told they are demanding is heavy,” the cleric said, without mentioning the amount.
The police spokesperson in Imo State, Henry Okoye, did not respond to calls and a text message seeking his comments.
Communities in Nigeria’s South-east have witnessed increased cases of abduction lately. (Premium Times)
