Dozens of Kidnap Victims' Remains Discovered in Nigerian Forests

Police in Abia state have uncovered 28 skulls and bones inside hidden camps in the Umuaku and Nneato forests, pointing to a widespread kidnapping menace.

“Upon arrival, the suspects fled and the camps were dismantled,” said Police spokeswoman Maureen Chinaka. “Twenty‑eight human remains, likely kidnapping victims, were recovered.”

The operation, launched after intelligence indicated criminal activity, underscores fears that remote Nigerian forests are being used as hideouts by gangs targeting travellers for ransom.

Abia State Police Commissioner Wilfred Afolabi confirmed the raid was part of a larger campaign to eliminate secret hideouts throughout the state.

Police are intensifying surveillance and urging locals to report suspicious activity as investigations continue to determine the victims’ identities and link them to unsolved abductions.

The discovery follows a series of mass kidnappings in northern Nigeria this weekend, where over 80 people—mostly women—were seized by gunmen in Niger and Zamfara states.

Kidnapping for ransom has become a lucrative revenue stream for bandits and militant groups across Nigeria’s north and southeast.