Sad!!! Corpses Of Abducted Kaduna-Based Woman & Driver Recovered After N3.5m Ransom Payment (pics)

The lifeless bodies of a Kaduna-based young woman, Loveth Zarah Alegbe, and an inter-state commercial driver, Nweke Bartholomew Chukwuma, have been recovered from a forest in Kogi State, days after their families reportedly paid a N3.5 million ransom to secure their freedom.

Sources disclosed that the victims were abducted in separate incidents on January 6, 2026, but were held by the same criminal gang operating across parts of Kogi State. Their remains were discovered on Friday, January 30, in a dense forest within the Abocho area of Dekina Local Government Area, a region notorious for recurring kidnapping cases.

It was gathered that Loveth Alegbe, a native of Kaduna State, was seized by gunmen in Ofu Local Government Area while travelling from Lagos to Abuja. In a related incident, Chukwuma, a commercial driver conveying passengers from Abuja to the eastern part of the country, was also intercepted along his route and taken into captivity.

Family sources revealed that the abductors initially contacted relatives of the victims, demanding N3.5 million as ransom for their release. After days of negotiations and desperate fundraising efforts, the families reportedly paid the full amount in hopes of securing the safe return of their loved ones.

However, shortly after the payment, the kidnappers allegedly cut off all communication, raising serious concerns. This development prompted relatives and local contacts to intensify efforts to trace the captives, leading to the grim discovery of their bodies in the forest.

Security operatives were immediately alerted, and officers of the Nigeria Police assisted in evacuating the corpses from the area.

Chukwuma’s remains were later transported to Enugu State for burial arrangements, while Loveth’s body was returned to Kaduna State for final rites. The tragic incident has once again highlighted the growing menace of kidnapping and insecurity along major highways and rural communities in Kogi State and beyond.