Fear has gripped residents of Affa community in Udi Local Government Area of Enugu State after suspected gunmen reportedly stormed St. Joseph Catholic Church, Inoyi, during Sunday Mass and abducted a seminarian alongside another worshipper.

The attack, which occurred on Sunday morning, disrupted the church service and sparked panic among worshippers as the assailants whisked away their victims.

The incident was first made public by social media influencer Sen Chijinkem Ugwuanyi, who alleged in a Facebook post that the gunmen invaded the church and initially kidnapped a seminarian who had come to celebrate Mass, a catechist and another worshipper.

According to him, the abductors later released the catechist but retained the seminarian and the other victim, taking them to an unknown destination.

“The whole village is thrown into frenzy as the search continues,” Ugwuanyi wrote, adding that local youths had begun combing nearby bushes in an effort to rescue the victims but were forced to proceed cautiously because the kidnappers were reportedly heavily armed.

He also urged the government and security agencies to strengthen efforts to curb the growing wave of insecurity in the area.

In a separate Facebook post, another resident shared a video said to have been recorded at the scene, claiming the attackers struck St. Joseph Catholic Church, Inoyi, Affa, and appealed to the Enugu State Government to ensure the safe rescue of those abducted.

As of the time of filing this report, the Enugu State Police Command had yet to issue an official statement confirming the attack or provide details on any rescue operation.