According to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), during the 12-month period from May 2023 to April 2024, Nigerians paid ₦2.23 trillion in ransom.
Important Takeaways from the NBS Report:
- Criminal occurrences: Over the reference period, an estimated 51.89 million criminal occurrences were reported in Nigerian households.
Regional Distribution
- The North-West region reported the highest incidence of crime, with 14.4 million cases.
- The North-Central region followed with 8.8 million incidents.
- The South-East region reported the least, with 6.18 million incidents.
Compared to urban regions (25.36 million), crime incidences were higher in rural areas (26.53 million).
Kidnapping and Ransom Payments:
- Home robberies occurred in about 4.14 million households.
- 65% of households with kidnapping instances paid a ransom to secure the victims’ release.
- During the 12-month period, a total of ₦2.23 trillion was paid in ransom, with an average payment of ₦2.67 million.
Notifying the Authorities:
- The percentage of households that reported home robberies to the police was just 36.3%.
- The reporting rate for kidnapping incidents was likewise low.
The research also noted that the primary reasons given by victims for not reporting were their lack of trust in law enforcement and their conviction that significant action would not result from police intervention.
These results highlight the substantial financial strain that ransom payments place on Nigerian households and cast doubt on the efficacy of the nation’s security protocols.
