The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) has revealed that Nigerians paid an alarming total of ₦2.23 trillion in ransom to kidnappers between May 2023 and April 2024, according to its latest Crime Experience and Security Perception Survey report released on Tuesday.
The report indicates that 65 percent of households affected by kidnapping opted to pay ransoms for the release of their loved ones, with the average ransom amounting to ₦2,670,693. The total ransom payments made during this period reached ₦2,231,772,563,507.
Kidnappings in Nigeria were estimated at approximately 2,235,954 incidents, heavily concentrated in rural areas, which accounted for 1,668,104 cases, compared to 567,850 in urban areas. The North-West region recorded the highest incidence of kidnappings, totaling 1,420,307 cases, followed by North-Central with 317,837 cases, and South-East with the least at 110,432.
The survey highlighted that 80.5 percent of households that experienced kidnappings reported the incidents to the police. The South-South zone had the highest reporting rate at 100 percent, followed closely by North-Central at 89.6 percent, while the North-West had the lowest reporting rate at 73.9 percent.
Further analysis revealed a grim outcome for many abducted individuals: 82.1 percent were released, 12.8 percent were killed, and 3.3 percent remained in captivity. A staggering 91 percent of kidnapping incidents were primarily for ransom, while a small fraction was linked to political, criminal, or personal disputes.
On the broader crime landscape, the NBS report noted that the North-West region faced the highest overall crime rates, with approximately 14.4 million reported cases, followed by the North-Central with 8.8 million. In stark contrast, the South-East recorded the lowest number of reported crimes at 6.18 million incidents during the same period.
The prevalence of abduction cases in Nigeria has raised serious concerns, with reports ranging from mass abductions in schools to the tragic killings of victims, indicating that kidnapping has tragically evolved into a business venture for criminal gangs.
Despite assurances from the government and security agencies, experts warn that the situation remains dire and continues to pose significant challenges to public safety.
