Gunmen reportedly stormed St. Joseph Catholic Church, Inoyi, in Affa, Udi Local Government Area of Enugu State, on the morning of Sunday, August 2, abducting a seminarian and several worshippers.
According to residents who spoke in a video circulating online, the incident occurred while worshippers were arriving for Mass amid a downpour.
They said those heading to the church met people fleeing the premises, who informed them that at least seven armed men had invaded the church and whisked away several members, including a seminarian.
The residents claimed they attempted to pursue the kidnappers but were unable to confront them because they were unarmed, while the attackers carried sophisticated weapons.
Expressing frustration over the worsening insecurity, the locals said they were prepared to defend their community and search surrounding bushes for the abductors but lacked the weapons needed to do so. They also noted that local vigilante groups were not adequately armed.
They appealed to the government to urgently intervene by improving security in the area or equipping local security outfits to help protect residents.
The community further lamented that one of the victims was an indigene who had returned home to bury his father before being abducted.
