Gunmen Abduct Seminarian, Worshipper in Enugu Church Raid

​ENUGU — Tragedy struck in Udi Local Government Area on Sunday morning as heavily armed men invaded St. Joseph Catholic Church, Inoyi, in the Affa community, abducting a seminarian and at least one other worshipper during a downpour.

​The brazen attack, which occurred on August 2, has thrown the rural community into a state of deep anxiety and mourning, coming on the heels of another tragedy as local sources revealed that one of the initial captives was an indigene who had returned home to bury his father.

​According to eyewitness accounts, the assailants—numbering at least seven and armed with sophisticated weapons—stormed the church premises while Sunday Mass was underway and the rain was heavy.

ADVERTISEMENT

​Panic ensued as congregants scrambled for safety. Worshippers heading to the service encountered a frantic crowd fleeing the building and were alerted to the ongoing abduction.

​While local youths and security volunteers immediately mobilized to trail the kidnappers into the surrounding forests, their efforts were severely constrained. Residents lamented that unarmed locals and poorly equipped local security agents stood little chance against the superior firepower of the heavily armed bandits.

​Community members have confirmed that while one of the abducted victims—reportedly a catechist—was later released by the assailants, the seminarian and another worshipper remain in captivity.

​The incident has amplified growing frustration over safety in rural communities. Visibly distraught locals have made an impassioned appeal to the Enugu State Government and security agencies to urgently intervene, bolster regional security architecture, and rescue the victims.

​As of press time, law enforcement authorities are yet to issue an official statement regarding rescue operations or the whereabouts of the abducted individuals.