Suspected armed kidnappers reportedly invaded St. Joseph Catholic Church, Inoyi, in Affa, Udi Local Government Area of Enugu State, on Sunday, August 2, abducting several worshippers, including a seminarian.
According to residents who spoke in a video circulating online, the attack occurred while worshippers were arriving for church amid rainfall.
The residents said people approaching the church met worshippers fleeing the premises, who informed them that at least seven armed men had stormed the church and whisked away an unspecified number of congregants.
They said some community members attempted to pursue the kidnappers but were unable to confront them because the assailants were heavily armed while the residents had no weapons.
The locals expressed frustration over the recurring security challenges in the area, saying they were prepared to help track down the kidnappers if they had the means to defend themselves.
They also lamented that local vigilante groups lacked adequate weapons to combat the criminals and appealed to the government to strengthen security in the area or empower community security outfits to protect residents.
According to the residents, one of the victims had returned to the community to attend his father’s burial before he was abducted during the attack.
