Panic gripped residents of Affa community in Udi Local Government Area of Enugu State on Sunday after suspected gunmen invaded St. Joseph Catholic Church, Inoyi, during a church service and abducted a seminarian along with another worshipper.
The attack was first brought to public attention through social media posts by a popular Facebook user, Sen Chijinkem Ugwuanyi, who alleged that the assailants stormed the church while worshippers were attending Mass.
According to him, the victims included a seminarian who had come to officiate at the service, a catechist and another church member.
He disclosed that the kidnappers later released the catechist but escaped with the seminarian and the other victim, whose whereabouts remain unknown.
Ugwuanyi further stated that youths in the community had begun combing nearby forests and bushes in search of the abducted victims.
However, he noted that the search was being conducted cautiously because the kidnappers were reportedly heavily armed.
He added that the incident had thrown the entire community into confusion, urging the government and security agencies to strengthen efforts to address the growing security challenges in the area.
In another social media post, a Facebook user shared a video said to have been recorded at the church shortly after the attack, claiming that the assailants struck during the service and calling on the Enugu State Government to take urgent steps to secure the release of the victims.
As of the time this report was filed, the Enugu State Police Command had yet to issue an official statement confirming or commenting on the incident.