Daud Olatunji
A report by SBM Intelligence has reportedly unveiled that over 7,500 people were kidnapped across Nigeria between July 2023 and July 2024.
Also a staggering N11 billion has been reportedly demanded as ransoms within that period.
This crisis spans various regions, each grappling with its unique brand of violence—from Boko Haram’s resurgence in the Northeast to armed banditry in the Northcentral and Northwest, secessionist agitations in the Southeast, and gang-related conflicts in the Southwest.
“Kidnapping for ransom has emerged as a pervasive threat, transcending regional differences and uniting disparate criminal elements in a nationwide scourge,” the report stated.
According to SBM Intelligence, 7,568 individuals were abducted in 1,130 incidents over the past year, marking a sharp increase in both the frequency and lethality of these crimes.
The report shows that Zamfara, Kaduna, and Katsina emerged as the epicenters of this kidnapping epidemic.
According to the report, Zamfara, in particular, recorded 132 incidents involving 1,639 victims, the highest in the country.
It stated that these states not only saw the most abductions but also the highest civilian death tolls, with 1,056 people killed in attempted kidnappings.
While kidnappers reportedly demanded nearly N11 billion in ransom, they reportedly received just 9.5% of this amount—about N1.05 billion.
This gap indicates a shift in the dynamics of kidnapping in Nigeria, where criminals have become less precise in their targeting, possibly due to the sheer volume of abductions.
Interestingly, the report noted that the highest ransom demands were made in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), closely followed by Lagos and Kaduna.
The Southeast, however, recorded the highest rate of ransom payments, reflecting the varying socioeconomic conditions across Nigeria’s regions.
Moreover, the methods employed by kidnappers are evolving.
In addition to cash, criminals are increasingly demanding in-kind payments, such as food, drinks, cigarettes, and motorcycles, which are easier to obtain and less traceable than money.
A particularly chilling development is the growing distrust between kidnappers and those tasked with delivering ransoms.
The report cites multiple instances where ransom bearers were killed or abducted, raising fears that this practice could deter families from negotiating, potentially leading to even more violent outcomes for the victims.
Despite the federal government’s significant expenditure on security—President Bola Tinubu’s administration reportedly spent N3.2 trillion in one year—the kidnapping crisis shows no signs of abating.
Source : Sahara Reporters
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