A new report by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) has revealed that Nigerians paid a staggering ₦2.2 trillion as ransom to kidnappers between May 2023 and April 2024. The report, titled Crime Experience and Security Perception Survey, shows that 65 percent of households affected by kidnappings paid ransoms to secure the release of their loved ones, with the average ransom per incident pegged at ₦2,670,693.

During this period, kidnapping incidents were estimated at 2,235,954 cases nationwide. Rural areas bore the brunt of these crimes, recording 1,668,104 cases compared to 567,850 in urban areas. The North-West region emerged as the epicenter of kidnappings, with 1,420,307 cases reported, followed by the North-Central with 317,837 cases. The South-East recorded the lowest figure at 110,432 cases.

The report also highlighted the fates of kidnapping victims, revealing that 82.1 percent were released, 12.8 percent were killed, and 3.3 percent remained in captivity. Kidnapping for ransom accounted for 91 percent of the cases, with financial demands being the primary motivation. Other cases were attributed to political, criminal, or terrorist motives (2.4 percent), personal or family disputes (2.1 percent), and custody conflicts (0.5 percent).

Despite the alarming statistics, the survey showed that 80.5 percent of households affected by kidnappings reported the incidents to the police. The South-South region had the highest reporting rate at 100 percent, followed by the North-Central at 89.6 percent. The North-West had the lowest reporting rate at 73.9 percent. Urban areas showed a higher tendency to report kidnappings at 87.1 percent compared to 77.3 percent in rural areas.

In addition to kidnappings, the report revealed that the North-West region recorded the highest overall crime rate in the country, with 14.4 million cases. The North-Central followed with 8.8 million cases, while the South-East recorded the lowest crime incidence at 6.18 million.

The findings highlight the devastating impact of insecurity on Nigerian households, as kidnapping continues to thrive as a lucrative criminal enterprise. Experts have raised concerns over the growing normalization of this crime, which has become a business venture for criminal gangs. Despite government efforts and reassurances from security agencies, the situation shows little sign of improvement, leaving many Nigerians vulnerable to these life-threatening attacks.