LAGOS AUGUST 3RD (NEWSRANGERS)-Residents of Affa community in Udi Local Government Area of Enugu State have cried out to Governor Peter Mbah and security authorities after heavily armed kidnappers invaded a Catholic church in the community during worship on Sunday, abducting a seminarian, a catechist and three other worshippers.
According to distressed residents, the attackers, said to be seven in number and armed with AK-47 rifles, struck while people were preparing for Mass despite heavy rainfall in the area.
The incident has sparked outrage in the community, with youths lamenting that they were unable to rescue the victims because they were outgunned by the assailants.
The residents said local youths attempted to pursue the kidnappers into the bush but were forced to retreat after coming under gunfire from the attackers.
Speaking after the incident, the aggrieved residents described how panic spread through the community when news of the abduction broke.
“It was raining at our place when we were preparing for church when suddenly others ran to us and said that the seminarian who came to conduct mass, our catechist, and others had been taken away,” one of the residents said.
“As we were running helter-skelter, police came and asked us where it happened, and we showed them. Some youths went after them because those who came to inform us said the seven kidnappers were fully armed with AK-47.
“Meanwhile, we have no weapons. Look at all our youths. Should we have pursued them empty-handed? We are willing to enter the bush and go after them, but with what weapon?
“There is no peace in our community; we live in fear, and now kidnappers come to church to kidnap us. We need help!”
The residents said five members of the community, including the seminarian and catechist, remain in captivity.
They appealed directly to Governor Mbah to urgently intervene, insisting that local youths are prepared to confront the kidnappers if adequately equipped.
“We can’t go after kidnappers armed with AK-47 without weapons! The government must come to our aid. Our seminarian, our catechist, and three of our people are currently in the hands of kidnappers,” one of the residents said.
“The government should help us. Governor Peter Mbah, please come and help us. If we have guns, we can go after the kidnappers in the bush. We are ready to go inside the bush and go after them.
“We searched within our limit without weapons, but they were shooting at us. So, we are pleading with Governor Peter Mbah to help us. What we are seeing and hearing everywhere else has come to our place.”
The residents also condemned the brazen nature of the attack, saying armed criminals have now extended their operations to places of worship.
“They even came into the church to kidnap us. It is not fair. We are pleading for help. How can we be in our community and kidnappers come and kidnap us while our youths are here and can’t do anything because they don’t have weapons?” a resident said.
“Our security operatives are here, but there are no arms, and we cannot go after kidnappers armed with AK-47s empty-handed. Governor Peter Mbah, please do something for us.”
The latest incident adds to growing concerns over rising insecurity in parts of Enugu State, and the Southeast region, where communities have repeatedly complained about attacks by armed kidnappers operating from surrounding forests despite ongoing security operations.
At the time of filing this report, SaharaReporters’ efforts to get the comments of the Enugu State Police Command on the attack or the fate of the abducted victims failed as the Public Relations Officer of the command, SP Daniel Ndukwe, did not answer calls made to his mobile phone number.
SaharaReporter
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