Daud Olatunji
The Ebonyi State Police Command has arrested the Superior General of the Sisters of Jesus the Good Shepherd, Mother Martha Nkiru Offo, over allegations surrounding the removal, detention and purported forced psychiatric treatment of a junior nun, Rev. Sr. Mercy Chinwe Nnamchi.
Offo was reportedly arrested on Thursday and is being questioned by the police over the circumstances surrounding Nnamchi’s alleged removal from her internship duty post at the Alex Ekwueme Federal University Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki, on May 30, 2026.
A source familiar with the matter told SaharaReporters that the superior general was in police custody as investigators began examining allegations of abduction, unlawful detention and involuntary medical treatment.
The allegations are also the subject of a petition submitted to the National Human Rights Commission and copied to the Ebonyi State Commissioner of Police by Nnamchi’s elder brother, Chukwudi Nnamchi.
In the petition dated June 10, 2026, the family alleged that Rev. Sr. Mercy was removed from her internship post by another member of the congregation, Sr. Cecilia Chizoba Igboagbuchi, who was allegedly accompanied by two unidentified men said to be connected with a psychiatric facility.
The family alleged that the action was carried out with the knowledge of some leaders of the congregation, including Sr. Celestina Obodo and Mother Martha Offo.
According to the petition, the junior nun was allegedly handcuffed, deprived of access to communication and taken against her will to an undisclosed location in Enugu State.
The family claimed that the action was based on allegations that Nnamchi was mentally unstable and had refused medication.
It further alleged that she was subsequently taken to the New Life Recovery Centre, where she was subjected to psychiatric treatment and injections without her informed consent.
The family also alleged that it was denied access to Nnamchi and was not given adequate information about her purported diagnosis, medication or treatment plan.
The petition stated that the family eventually gained access to her after she was transferred to Annunciation Hospital following inquiries reportedly made by officials of AE-FETHA.
The family rejected the allegation that Nnamchi was mentally unstable, saying she had previously undergone a voluntary psychological assessment at FETHA II.
It also claimed that she had continued to demonstrate rational judgment and responsible conduct.
According to the petition, Nnamchi had on March 15, 2026, expressly rejected allegations concerning her mental health and asked to be left alone.
The family said it had attempted to resolve the disagreement with the congregation’s leadership before the alleged removal occurred.
It subsequently asked the NHRC to investigate the circumstances surrounding her removal, detention and treatment and ensure that her rights were protected.
Among other demands, the family requested an independent medical and psychological assessment supervised by relevant oversight authorities and involving an independent team from a recognised government-approved tertiary health institution.
The proposed team, according to the petition, should include a consultant psychiatrist, medical doctor, medical laboratory scientist and other relevant specialists.
The family also requested that Nnamchi be allowed to return to AE-FETHA to complete her internship.
The reported arrest of Offo represents a major development in the controversy, which has now attracted the attention of both the police and the NHRC.
However, the allegations against Offo and other individuals named in the petition have not been established by a court.
It was also unclear as of Thursday what specific offences had formally been entered against Offo or whether other individuals connected to the allegations had been arrested.
The police are expected to investigate the circumstances surrounding Nnamchi’s removal from the hospital, the basis for her alleged admission to the psychiatric facility, the medical treatment administered to her and the roles allegedly played by members of the religious congregation.
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