The operatives of the Neighbourhood Watch of Uzo-Uwani Local Government Area of Enugu State have foiled a kidnap attempt on a priest of the Anglican Communion, Diocese of Nsukka.
The priest, whose name was not given, was rescued by the combined neighbourhood watch personnel of Ukpata and Uvuru wards of the local government area.
The Senior Special Assistant to the council chairman, Hon Solomon Gwiyi, who spoke with NEWSNGR on Sunday, confirmed the rescue. He said the name of the priest was being withheld for security reasons.
He attributed the successful rescue of the priest to the security leadership of the council Chairman, Barr Chijioke Ezugwu.
It was gathered that the incident took place along Ukpata-Uvuru road on the 19th day of July, 2025, while the priest was returning from Nsukka after an apostolic visit.
Gwiyi had in an earlier post stated that, “The priest had, on sighting three of the criminals who stormed out of the bush, bearing arms, taken to his heels. While the kidnappers closed in on him, the combined neighbourhood watch personnel of Ukpata and Uvuru wards, who were on their routine patrol along the road, stormed the scene.
“It was while the criminals scampered for safety back into the bush that the local security personnel rescued the pastor.”
He stated that the security operatives were on the trail of the kidnappers.
The victim, in a video, thanked the operatives for rescuing him. He stated that, “I was returning from Nsukka on a motorcycle. The kidnappers, who are Fulani, blocked me on the road. I turned, and began to run. It was a hopeless situation. Somehow, these security operatives stormed the scene. The kidnappers stood boldly before them. It was when they opened fire on them that they ran into the bush. It is a divine intervention. I don’t know how to thank them.”
It would be recalled that the council Chairman, Hon Ezugwu, had, last month, led local security operatives to rescue a kidnap victim at Awuzi village, Ogba Nkpologu community of the LGA. Three suspects were arrested during the operations.
The kidnap suspects had made away with their victim into the bush, but were trailed to their hideout at Ugwu-Ugbene where three out of the four suspects were arrested, Gwiyi told our reporter.
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