Fear gripped residents of Affa community in Udi Local Government Area of Enugu State after suspected gunmen stormed a Catholic church during Sunday morning Mass and abducted worshippers.
The attack occurred at St. Joseph Catholic Church, Inoyi, at about 8:30 a.m., disrupting the church service and throwing the congregation into panic.
According to the Enugu State Police Command, the attackers initially abducted three worshippers, including a seminarian, before fleeing the scene.
However, a swift response by a joint security team comprising police operatives, forest guards and members of the neighbourhood watch forced the gunmen to abandon one of the victims during a pursuit.
Confirming the incident, the Police Public Relations Officer in Enugu, SP Daniel Ndukwe, said the rescued victim was found unharmed, while efforts are ongoing to rescue the remaining two captives.
“The operatives, while pursuing the fleeing gunmen, forced them to abandon one of the victims, who was rescued unharmed,” Ndukwe said.
He added that the Commissioner of Police, Mamman Giwa, has ordered an intensified rescue operation and directed security personnel to deploy every available resource to track down the kidnappers.
According to Ndukwe, the commissioner instructed the Area Commander, the head of the Violent Crime Response Unit (VCRU) and the State Intelligence Department (SID) to strengthen intelligence gathering and coordinate efforts aimed at rescuing the victims safely.
The police also disclosed that the command would activate the surveillance and technical capabilities of the Enugu State Command-and-Control Centre to support the ongoing operation.
Appealing for public cooperation, the police urged residents to remain calm and report any useful information that could assist security agencies.
“The command is assuring them that every available resource is being deployed to secure the safe rescue of the remaining victims and bring the perpetrators to justice,” Ndukwe stated.
Investigations into the incident are ongoing as security agencies continue efforts to rescue the abducted victims and arrest those responsible.
