BREAKING: Nigerians paid kidnappers N2.23 trillion in 12 months – NBS report

The latest Crime Experience and Safety Perception Survey (CESPS) conducted by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) has revealed alarming figures on the state of crime in Nigeria.

According to the investigation, Nigerians paid a total of N2.23 trillion in ransom over the 12-month period from May 2023 to April 2024.

This amount was paid by households affected by the kidnappings, highlighting the growing threat posed by criminals across the country.

Widespread incidents of crime

The CESPS provides a detailed account of the crime situation in Nigeria, noting a total of 51.89 million incidents of crime experienced by households during the period under review.

The North West region recorded the highest number of crimes, with more than 14.4 million incidents, followed by the North Central region with 8.8 million. On the other hand, it is the South-East which recorded the least incidences, with 6.18 million cases.

The survey highlights that rural areas were more affected by crime than urban areas, with rural households experiencing a total of 26.53 million crime incidents compared to 25.36 million in urban areas.

One of the key findings of the CESPS was the alarming number of kidnapping incidents. According to the report, about 4.14 million households in Nigeria were victims of home thefts.

Additionally, 65% of households affected by kidnapping were forced to pay a ransom to secure the release of their loved ones. The average ransom paid was N2.67 million, making a total sum of N2.23 trillion spent by Nigerians to meet the demands of the kidnappers during the 12-month period.

The high ransom amount paints a grim picture of the security situation in Nigeria, as families and communities continue to face the devastating financial and emotional toll of kidnapping crimes. The survey also found that only 36.3% of those affected by a home burglary reported the incident to the police, while the reporting rate for kidnappings was similarly low.

Reasons why crimes go unreported include lack of trust in law enforcement agencies and the belief that police intervention would not result in meaningful action.

The report said: “Nationally, an estimated 51,887,032 cases of crime were recorded in households. The North West (14,402,254) reported the highest incidences of crime at the household level, followed by the North Central (8,771,400), while the South East (6,176,031) reported the least. The result also shows that the incidence of crime in rural areas (26,526,069) was higher than that in urban areas (25,360,963).

“In Nigeria, 4,142,174 households were victims of home theft. Less than half (36.3%) of households who were victims of a robbery reported their experience to the police. Among households that experienced kidnapping incidents, 65.0% paid a ransom. The average amount paid in ransom was N2,670,693, with an estimated total ransom of N2,231,772,563,507 paid during the reporting period.

Phone theft, the most common crime

At the individual level, the survey revealed that 21.4% of Nigerians reported being victims of crime. The most common crime was phone theft, which affected 13.8% of Nigerians.

Despite the high number of phone thefts, 90% of victims reported the theft to the police. However, only half of these victims were satisfied with the police response.

The survey also highlighted the prevalence of sexual crimes, with about 1.4 million Nigerians falling victim to them. A significant proportion of these incidents occurred at someone else’s home (27.7%) or at the victim’s home (22.2%). Alarmingly, only 22.7% of victims of sexual offenses reported the crime to the police.

Lack of confidence in security forces

Despite widespread crime, Nigerians’ perception of safety remains a concern. According to the survey, 9.6% of Nigerians believe they could become victims of crime in the next 12 months.

This fear was more pronounced in rural areas, where 13.0% of the population felt vulnerable, compared to 7.0% in urban areas.

The effectiveness of the Nigerian security forces, particularly the police, was a major concern of the inquiry. Nationally, only 33.1% of Nigerians said security agencies responded to emergency calls within 30 minutes, an indicator of the slow response times faced by many Nigerians in the critical moments.

Additionally, approximately 4 in 10 households interacted with state or local security forces during the survey period, and 1 in 2 households contacted the Nigerian Police. However, dissatisfaction with police responses was high, particularly in relation to crimes such as livestock and crop theft, where satisfaction levels were as low as 42.9% and 42.9%. 4%, respectively.

In rural areas, many households have resorted to local vigilante groups for security, given their perceived effectiveness compared to formal security agencies.