The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) has revealed that Nigerians paid a staggering N2.23 trillion in ransoms to kidnappers between May 2023 and April 2024.
According to the NBS’s latest Crime Experience and Security Perception Survey, Nigerian households experienced an estimated 51.89 million crime incidents within the period.
The North-West region reported the highest number of incidents, with 14.4 million cases, followed by the North-Central region with 8.8 million. In contrast, the South-East recorded the lowest with 6.18 million cases.
Kidnapping emerged as a significant concern, affecting 4.14 million households, with 65% of victims forced to pay an average ransom of N2.67 million.
This contributed to the nationwide total of N2.23 trillion. Despite the alarming figures, underreporting remains prevalent, with only 36.3% of home robbery victims and a similarly low percentage of kidnapping victims reporting incidents to the authorities.
The report highlighted the limited trust in law enforcement as a key reason for underreporting. Many victims doubted the effectiveness of police intervention, further straining Nigeria’s fight against crime.
Additionally, 21.4% of Nigerians experienced crime firsthand, with phone theft being the most common, affecting 13.8% of the population. Victims of sexual offences also reported low satisfaction with law enforcement, as only 22.7% reported such crimes.
The report also noted that rural areas bore the brunt of insecurity, with 26.53 million crime incidents compared to 25.36 million in urban areas.
Local vigilantes were viewed as more reliable than formal security agencies in many rural communities.