Panic erupted at St. Joseph Catholic Church, Inoyi, in the Affa community of Udi Local Government Area of Enugu State on Sunday after armed men invaded the church during a morning service and abducted three worshippers, including a seminarian.

The attackers reportedly stormed the church at about 8:30 a.m. while worship was in progress. Eyewitnesses said the gunmen initially seized three congregants before whisking them away to an unknown destination.

The victims were later identified as a Catholic seminarian and two other worshippers. The incident threw the congregation into confusion as members fled for safety while the assailants escaped.

Security operatives have since launched efforts to rescue the abductees and apprehend those responsible for the attack. The incident has further heightened concerns over the growing wave of insecurity in parts of Enugu State, with residents urging the government and security agencies to strengthen measures to protect lives and places of worship.

As of the time of filing this report, the Enugu State Police Command had yet to issue an official statement on the incident.