The Enugu State Police Command has announced the rescue of four kidnapped victims in two separate intelligence-led operations carried out within the state and across the Benue State border.

This is coming days after gunmen invaded a Catholic church in the Udi Local Government Area and abducted worshippers including a seminarian, though the victims were not among those rescued.

The operations, conducted by a joint team of police operatives, soldiers, forest guards, vigilantes and neighbourhood watch personnel, also led to the recovery of 15 rounds of live ammunition, suspected hard drugs, mobile phones and other exhibits.

The police, which disclosed this in a statement released late Tuesday night by the Command’s spokesperson SP Daniel Ndukwe, said one abducted victim was found dead after allegedly being shot by kidnappers while in captivity.

The latest rescue operations come as security agencies intensify efforts to tackle kidnapping and violent crimes in Enugu following Sunday’s attack on St. Joseph Catholic Church, Inoyi, Affa Community, Udi Local Government Area, where gunmen stormed the church premises during worship and abducted a seminarian and other worshippers.

However, SP Ndukwe, in the statement revealed that the first operation resulted in the rescue of two brothers who were abducted on August 3, 2026, at Ezimo-Ulo in the Udenu Local Government Area.

According to the police, the operation involved operatives of the Udenu Police Division, the Anti-Kidnapping Section of the Command’s Violent Crime Response Unit (VCRU), the Distress Response Squad (DRS), personnel from the Orukam Police Division of the Benue State Command, the Benue State Civil Protection Guards, the Nigerian Army, Enugu State Forest Guards, members of the Neighbourhood Watch and the Ezimo Vigilante Group.

The command said the operation was supported by the Inspector-General of Police’s Handshake Patrol initiative, which promotes cross-border collaboration among security agencies.

The victims were rescued unharmed at about 1:40pm on August 4 at Ikele in Owukpa Community, Ogbadibo Local Government Area of Benue State, following what the police described as an intense gun battle with the kidnappers.

“The kidnappers fled with varying degrees of gunshot injuries after an intense exchange of gunfire,” the statement said.

The police said security operatives recovered 15 rounds of live ammunition from the suspects’ hideout, along with the victims’ Android phones, car keys, several other mobile phones and accessories, a bottle containing suspected hard drugs and drug paraphernalia, clothing items and ₦11,800 in cash.

The rescued brothers were subsequently debriefed and reunited with their family members.

In a separate operation, operatives attached to the Umabor Police Division, the Anti-Kidnapping Section of the VCRU, Enugu State Forest Guards and members of the Neighbourhood Watch rescued two other victims who had been abducted on July 31 at Amukpa Village in Ogbozara Community, Nsukka Local Government Area.

However, the police disclosed that another victim kidnapped alongside them did not survive the ordeal.

According to the command, the victim died from gunshot wounds allegedly inflicted by the kidnappers while in captivity.

His decomposing body was later recovered from a forest during the rescue operation.

The two surviving victims were rescued alive, debriefed and reunited with their families.

Enugu State Commissioner of Police, Mamman Bitrus Giwa, commended the security operatives involved in the operations, describing the successful rescue missions as a reflection of effective collaboration among security agencies.

He directed all teams involved to sustain the ongoing manhunt for the fleeing suspects and reaffirmed the command’s commitment to combating violent crime across the state.

The police chief also urged residents to remain vigilant and continue providing credible intelligence capable of assisting security agencies in preventing criminal activities.

The latest operations come amid heightened security concerns in Enugu following Sunday’s invasion of St. Joseph Catholic Church in Inoyi, Affa Community, where gunmen abducted worshippers during a church service.

The Enugu State Police Command had earlier confirmed the attack, stating that three persons were initially abducted from the church premises before joint security operatives mounted a rescue operation.

According to the command, one of the victims was rescued shortly after the attack when security personnel closed in on the fleeing kidnappers, while efforts are continuing to rescue the remaining captives.

The church attack has attracted nationwide condemnation from religious leaders, political figures and civil society organisations.