SSG Onyia and other members of the government delegation at Innoyi-Affa
The Enugu State Government on Tuesday reassured residents of Inoyi-Affa Community in Udi Local Government Area of its commitment to securing the safe release of two worshippers abducted during a church service at St. Joseph Catholic Parish.
A high-powered government delegation led by the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Prof. Chidiebere Onyia, visited the community following the abduction of a seminarian and another worshipper by suspected bandits during the church’s morning Mass on Sunday, August 2, 2026.
The delegation included the Executive Chairman of Udi Local Government Area, Engr. Hyginus Ogbonna Agu, alongside other state and local government officials. Addressing the grieving community, Prof. Onyia said Governor Peter Ndubuisi Mbah had responded swiftly to the security incident and was committed to ensuring the victims were rescued unharmed. Government.
He assured residents that security agencies were intensifying efforts to secure the release of those in captivity, while reaffirming the government’s determination to safeguard lives and property across the state. The delegation was received by four Catholic priests representing the Catholic Diocese of Enugu, clergy from other Christian denominations, traditional rulers, community leaders, stakeholders and parishioners.
Speaking during the visit, traditional rulers and community stakeholders commended the Mbah administration’s security architecture, describing it as a proactive initiative that had strengthened security across the state’s 260 political wards.
They also reaffirmed their support for the governor’s administration and pledged continued cooperation with government efforts to maintain peace and security. The stakeholders further appealed for greater government representation through strategic appointments for qualified indigenes of the community.
The visit ended with prayers and renewed solidarity between the Enugu State Government and the people of Inoyi-Affa Community, as both parties expressed hope for the safe and prompt return of the abducted worshippers.
