Gunmen Invade Enugu Catholic Church, Abduct Seminarian, Worshippers

Fear and outrage have gripped residents of Udi Local Government Area of Enugu State after heavily armed gunmen reportedly invaded a Catholic church during Sunday worship and abducted a seminarian alongside other worshippers. The brazen attack has sparked fresh concerns over worsening insecurity in Nigeria’s South-East, as desperate residents plead with the government for urgent intervention before more lives are lost.

A peaceful Sunday worship turned into a nightmare after gunmen reportedly stormed a Catholic church in Enugu and abducted a seminarian alongside other worshippers, leaving an entire community in fear and demanding urgent government intervention.

Gunmen reportedly attacked St. Joseph Catholic Church in Inoyi, Affa, Udi Local Government Area of Enugu State on Sunday, August 2, abducting a seminarian and several worshippers. Residents said the attackers stormed the church during morning service amid rainfall, while locals called on the government to strengthen security and protect communities from rising kidnappings.

Residents of Affa Community in Udi Local Government Area of Enugu State have been thrown into panic after suspected armed kidnappers reportedly invaded St. Joseph Catholic Church, Inoyi, during Sunday morning worship and abducted a seminarian alongside several other worshippers.

The attack, which reportedly occurred on the morning of Sunday, August 2, has heightened fears over the rising wave of insecurity affecting communities across Enugu State.

According to eyewitnesses who spoke in a video circulating online, it was raining when worshippers began arriving at the church for the morning Mass.

However, some residents who were still on their way to the church said they suddenly met terrified worshippers fleeing from the premises. They were reportedly informed that at least seven heavily armed men had stormed the church and whisked away several people, including a seminarian.

The eyewitnesses disclosed that local residents immediately mobilised and pursued the fleeing kidnappers into nearby bushes. Despite their determination, they were unable to rescue the victims because the attackers were heavily armed, while the villagers had no weapons.

“We chased them, but there was little we could do because they carried sophisticated weapons while we were unarmed,” one resident said.

The community lamented that its members are willing to defend themselves and comb surrounding forests to rescue victims.

However, they insisted that such efforts would be almost impossible without adequate security support and lawful means of protection.

They also expressed concern that even local vigilante groups lack the weapons needed to confront armed criminal gangs operating in the area.

The residents, therefore, appealed to both the Enugu State Government and security agencies to urgently intervene by strengthening security in vulnerable communities and ensuring the safe rescue of those abducted.

According to the locals, one of the victims had recently returned to the community to attend the burial of his late father before he was kidnapped during the church attack.

As of the time of filing this report, security authorities had not released an official statement regarding the incident, while efforts to ascertain the exact number of victims were ongoing.