Emmanuel Ugwu-Nwogo in Enugu
No fewer than three persons were abducted yesterday when armed men stormed a Church in Enugu community thereby throwing residents in panic and fear.
The Enugu State Point Command confirmed the incident in a statement issued by the state Police Public Relations Officer(PPRO), SP Daniel Ndukwe, saying that the abduction happened “within the precinct of a church at Inoyi, Affa Community, Udi Local Government Area.
He said that the armed men attacked the unsuspecting victims “in the early hours of today, August 2, 2026”, adding that one of the abducted persons has been rescued.
It was learnt that the incident happened at a Catholic Church and the victims were among worshippers that came for early Sunday mass.
The police spokesman said that a joint security operation has been activated involving Police operatives, Forest Guards, and members of the Neighbourhood Watch, adding that they were on the trail of armed men.
“The operatives, while closing in on the fleeing suspects, forced them to abandon one of the victims, who was immediately rescued unhurt. The assailants, however, escaped with the remaining two victims,” he said.
According to him, the Commissioner of Police, Mamman Bitrus Giwa, has already directed the Area Commander, Oji-River, and the Head of the Command’s Violent Crime Response Unit (VCRU) “to further intensify ongoing operations and deploy all available operational assets to ensure the safe rescue of the remaining victims and the apprehension of the suspects.”
The CP also directed the Assistant Commissioner of Police in charge of the State Intelligence Department (SID) “to immediately generate actionable human and technical intelligence in support of the operation.”
In addition, the CP directed the SID to activate the surveillance and technical capabilities of the Enugu State Command-and-Control Centre to bolster the ongoing rescue efforts.
“The Commissioner urges residents of the community to remain calm and continue to support the Police with credible and actionable information, assuring them that every available resource is being deployed to secure the safe rescue of the remaining victims and bring the perpetrators to justice,” the statement said.
“Such information can be reported through the following emergency lines: 08032003702, 08086671202, 112, 09134666668, or 09134448093, or via email .at pproenugu@npf.gov.ng