The Police in Enugu has intensified efforts to rescue two persons, allegedly kidnapped at a church in Inoyi, Affa community in Udi local government area of the state.

Three persons were allegedly kidnapped in the incident on Sunday morning. However, a hot pursuit by a joint team comprising the Police operatives, Forest Guards and Neighbourhood Watch forced the gunmen into abandoning one of the victims but fled with the remaining two.

Sources hinted that the victims may have been worshippers on an early morning Sunday mass.

A statement by the police in Enugu on Sunday afternoon, which however, confirmed the kidnapping of the three persons, stated that all security apparatus within the area had been activated to rescue the remaining two persons.

The statement signed by the State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Daniel Ndukwe said: “A joint security team comprising Police operatives, Forest Guards, and members of the Neighbourhood Watch Group has intensified operations and is on the trail of armed men alleged to have abducted three persons within the precinct of a church at Inoyi, Affa Community, Udi Local Government Area, in the early hours of today, August 2, 2026.

“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”.

Ndukwe added that Commissioner of Police, Mamman Bitrus Giwa, has 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.

” He 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, while activating the surveillance and technical capabilities of the Enugu State Command-and-Control Centre to bolster the ongoing rescue efforts”, he said

He stated that 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.

He gave out the following  emergency lines: 08032003702, 08086671202, 112, 09134666668, or 09134448093, or via email at [email protected] for information that could help the rescue effort.