Police uncover kidnappers’ den, recover 28 human skulls in Abia

The operatives of the Abia State Police Command have recovered skulls and bones of 28 people from suspected kidnappers’ hideouts in the state.

The Abia State Police Public Relations Officer, Maureen Chinaka, in a statement issued on Monday, said police are investigating the identities of the remains found in the Umuaku and Nneato forests on Saturday, September 26, 2026, after a security operation was carried out in the Umunneochi area.

Chinaka, who disclosed that the suspects fled when police arrived, said the raids were launched following intelligence reports about suspected criminal activity in the forests.

Chinaka added that forensic and other investigations are ongoing to establish the identities of the kidnapped victims and the circumstances surrounding their deaths.

“Upon arrival of the Command’s tactical operatives at the camps, the suspects fled. The criminal camps were subsequently dismantled. A total of 28 human skulls and bones, suspected to be kidnap victims, were recovered,” she stated.

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The police spokesperson said surveillance had been intensified in the area as officers sought to track down those who fled.

Chinaka quoted the Abia State Commissioner of Police, Wilfred Afolabi, as saying that the operation was part of an ongoing campaign to dismantle criminal hideouts in the state.

Afolabi urged residents to report suspicious activity and security concerns as efforts continue to identify the victims and determine whether the remains are connected to unresolved kidnapping cases in Abia State.

Security operatives have previously discovered decomposing bodies believed to be linked to kidnapping activities during security raids in Umunneochi.