Bodies of Two Kidnap Victims Found in Kogi Forest After ₦3.5m Ransom Paid

• The bodies of Loveth Zarah Alegbe and inter-state driver Nweke Bartholomew Chukwuma have been found in a forest in Kogi State days after their families paid ₦3.5 million in ransom.
• The victims were abducted in separate incidents but allegedly held by the same gang. Police have evacuated the bodies as investigations continue.

The bodies of Loveth Zarah Alegbe, a Kaduna-based woman, and an inter-state commercial driver, Nweke Bartholomew Chukwuma, have been discovered in a forest in Kogi State, days after their families reportedly paid a ₦3.5 million ransom for their release.

Sources told SaharaReporters on Friday, January 30, that the two victims were abducted in separate incidents on January 6, 2026, but were allegedly held by the same criminal gang operating across parts of Kogi State.

According to the sources, local security operatives found their lifeless bodies in the Abocho area of Dekina Local Government Area, deep within a forest notorious for frequent kidnapping activities.

Loveth Alegbe, described by relatives as a young woman from Kaduna State, was reportedly abducted in Ofu Local Government Area while travelling from Lagos to Abuja. In a related incident, Chukwuma, a commercial driver transporting passengers from Abuja to eastern Nigeria, was also intercepted along his route and taken into captivity.

Family sources said the kidnappers contacted relatives shortly after the abductions and demanded ₦3.5 million as ransom for the release of both victims. After intense fundraising and negotiations, the families reportedly paid the full amount in hopes of securing their loved ones’ freedom.

However, shortly after receiving the ransom, the kidnappers allegedly stopped responding to calls and failed to provide any information regarding the captives’ whereabouts. Growing concerns led relatives and local contacts to launch a search, which eventually resulted in the grim discovery.

Security operatives were alerted, and the Nigeria Police reportedly assisted in evacuating the bodies from the forest. Chukwuma’s remains were later transported to Enugu State for burial arrangements, while Loveth Alegbe’s body was returned to Kaduna State for her final rites.