Between May 2023 and April 2024, Nigerians paid a staggering ₦2.23 trillion in ransom to kidnappers, according to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).
This alarming figure was revealed in the NBS’s latest Crime Experience and Security Perception Survey, published on Tuesday.
The report states that 65 percent of households affected by kidnapping paid ransoms to secure the release of their loved ones. On average, each household paid ₦2,670,693 in ransom, totaling an estimated ₦2,231,772,563,507 across the entire period.
Kidnapping incidents and regional disparities
The NBS survey estimates that a total of 2,235,954 kidnapping incidents occurred nationwide. Rural areas accounted for the majority of these, with 1,668,104 cases compared to 567,850 in urban areas. Regionally, the North-West recorded the highest number of kidnappings, with 1,420,307 incidents. This was followed by the North-Central zone, which reported 317,837 cases. The South-East had the lowest number of kidnappings, with 110,432 cases.
Reporting and police involvement
Among households that experienced kidnappings, 80.5 percent reported the crime to the police. The South-South region had the highest reporting rate at 100 percent, followed by North-Central at 89.6 percent. In contrast, the North-West had the lowest reporting rate at 73.9 percent. Urban areas also showed higher reporting rates, with 87.1 percent of cases reported compared to 77.3 percent in rural areas.
Outcomes of kidnappings
The report further analyzed the outcomes of kidnapping incidents, revealing that 82.1 percent of victims were released, 12.8 percent were killed, and 3.3 percent remained in captivity.
Motivations behind kidnappings
The survey also highlighted the primary motives behind these kidnappings. Approximately 91 percent of incidents were financially motivated, with ransoms paid in cash, goods, or other benefits. Other motives included political, criminal, or terrorist objectives (2.4 percent), personal or family disputes (2.1 percent), and custody disputes (0.5 percent).
Regional crime rates
The NBS survey indicated that the North-West region had the highest overall crime rate, with 14.4 million reported crimes. This was followed by the North-Central region, with 8.8 million cases. The South-East region recorded the lowest crime rate, with 6.18 million reported incidents during the same period.
The growing crisis
The rising number of abductions has become a deeply entrenched problem in Nigeria, with kidnappings now a lucrative business for criminal gangs. Stories of mass abductions, particularly in schools, and the tragic killing of victims are increasingly common. Despite assurances from the government and security agencies, experts believe that the situation remains largely unchanged, with minimal progress made in curbing the crisis.
