The Abia State Police Command has recovered 28 human skulls and other human bones from suspected criminal camps in forests around Umuaku and Nneato communities in Isuochi, Umunneochi Local Government Area of the state.
The discovery was made during an intelligence-led operation conducted by the command on Sunday, September 27, as part of its ongoing efforts to dismantle criminal hideouts across the state.
The command’s Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Maureen Chinaka, disclosed the development in a statement, saying the operation was carried out under the command’s initiative, “Operation No Hideout for Criminal Elements in the State.”
According to Chinaka, tactical personnel drawn from several units participated in the operation. They included the Violent Crime Response Unit, Anti-Kidnapping Unit, Anti-Cultism Unit, Intelligence Response Unit, Rapid Response Squad and personnel from the Isuochi Police Headquarters.
She said the operation followed intelligence on suspected criminal activities in the forested areas. Police operatives subsequently moved into the locations to search the suspected camps.
Chinaka said the occupants of the camps fled when they noticed the arrival of the security personnel, leaving the hideouts deserted. The camps were subsequently dismantled by the operatives.
During the search, the police discovered 28 human skulls and other human bones scattered within the forest locations.
The command said the remains were suspected to belong to victims of kidnapping. However, the police have not established the identities of the deceased or conclusively determined the circumstances surrounding their deaths.
Some of the remains were reportedly decomposed, making further investigation and forensic examination necessary to determine their identities and establish how they died.
The discovery has prompted the police to intensify surveillance of the affected areas as investigators work to establish the identities of those whose remains were recovered and determine whether they were victims of reported kidnapping incidents.
No arrest had been made in connection with the discovery as of the time of the police announcement because the suspected occupants of the camps escaped before the arrival of the tactical teams.
Chinaka said investigation was ongoing, while security personnel had continued monitoring the area and intensified efforts to apprehend the fleeing suspects.
The Commissioner of Police in Abia State, CP Wilfred Afolabi, reiterated the command’s determination to prevent criminals from using forests and other remote locations as safe havens.
The police said the operation was part of broader intelligence-driven activities aimed at dismantling suspected criminal networks and improving security across Abia.
The command also appealed to residents to provide useful information about suspicious movements and criminal activities in their communities.
It urged members of the public to report security concerns to the nearest police station, stressing that community cooperation remained important to identifying criminal hideouts and preventing further attacks.
The recovery of the remains has also raised concerns about the activities of criminal groups operating in remote parts of Umunneochi. While the police suspect that the remains may be connected to kidnapping victims, authorities have yet to release information establishing the identities of the deceased or linking specific individuals to the remains.
The investigation is therefore expected to determine the circumstances surrounding the deaths and whether the recovered remains can be connected to reported cases of kidnapping or missing persons in the area.
The Abia Police Command said operations would continue as efforts to locate and apprehend the suspects who escaped from the forest camps are intensified.
