The Nigerian Army has revealed the identities of three suspected members of a kidnapping syndicate allegedly responsible for the August 2, 2026 abduction of worshippers at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, Inoyi-Affa, in Udi Local Government Area of Enugu State.

The suspects were identified as Aliyu Mohammed, Usman Mohammed and Babuga Usman. Babuga Usman was reportedly killed during a gun battle with security operatives, while the other two suspects were arrested.

The arrests followed a joint operation involving the Nigerian Army, Department of State Services (DSS) and other security agencies under Operation UDO KA.

According to the Acting Deputy Director, Army Public Relations, 82 Division, Lieutenant Colonel Olabisi Olalekan Ayeni, intelligence obtained from an earlier arrested suspect enabled troops to track and intercept the alleged commander of the syndicate as he attempted to flee Enugu State.

The arrested suspect subsequently led security operatives to a hidden armoury inside Umuchingu Ujenike Forest in Udi, where troops recovered: Four AK-47 rifles, Seven AK-47 magazines, 133 rounds of 7.62mm special ammunition,

$1,000 and ₦785,900.

The Army said preliminary investigations linked the arrested kingpin to several high-profile kidnapping operations across the South-East and North-Central regions.

Meanwhile, the remaining victims of the August 2 attack, including seminarian Lawrence Igbo and Emmanuel Onwudi, have been rescued. The Enugu State Government said all the victims were recovered alive and without injuries.

The Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Chidiebere Onyia, who represented Governor Peter Mbah during the parade of the suspects at the DSS office in Enugu, said the victims had identified the arrested suspects as those responsible for their abduction.

On the issue of ransom, Onyia confirmed that money was paid during the rescue operation but said it was used as bait as part of a broader strategy to track the kidnappers. He added that the ransom money had subsequently been recovered following the arrests.

The state government also disclosed that one suspected kidnapper was killed during the operation, while others were taken into custody.

The Nigerian Army has reaffirmed that intelligence-led operations will continue across the South-East to dismantle criminal networks and strengthen security in the region.