Nigerians Paid N2.2 Trillion in Ransoms, NBS Survey Reveals

The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) has disclosed that Nigerians paid approximately N2.2 trillion in ransoms between May 2023 and April 2024, highlighting the escalating security challenges in the country.

The Crime Experience and Security Perception Survey (CESPS) 2024 revealed that 4,142,174 households experienced home robberies, with 65% of kidnapping victims paying ransoms. The average ransom payment stood at N2,670,693.

Regional variations in crime rates were significant as the Northwest emerged as the most crime-prone region, reporting 14,402,254 incidents, followed by the North-Central with 8,771,400 incidents. In contrast, the Southeast reported the lowest number of criminal activities at 6,176,031 incidents.

The ransom statistics are particularly troubling. With an average ransom payment of N2,670,693, the total amount paid reached a staggering N2,231,772,563,507. Of particular concern, 65% of households experiencing kidnapping incidents paid ransoms, indicating the pervasive nature of such criminal activities.

Livestock theft emerged as the most prevalent crime, accounting for 18% of reported incidents, followed closely by crop theft at 15.8%. The Northeast zone reported the highest crime rate, with 46.6% of households experiencing criminal activities, while the Southwest reported the lowest at 22.4%.

The survey revealed significant challenges in crime reporting and law enforcement response. Less than 36.3% of home robbery victims reported their experiences to the police, citing a lack of confidence in law enforcement and skepticism about meaningful intervention. At the individual level, 21.4% of Nigerians reported being crime victims, with phone theft being the most common crime at 13.8%.

Sexual offenses presented another critical concern, with an estimated 1.4 million Nigerians experiencing such crimes. Most of these offenses occurred in private residences, with only 22.7% of victims reporting to the police.

Security agency response times varied, with 33.1% of respondents reporting emergency responses within 30 minutes. However, satisfaction with police responses remained low, particularly for crimes involving livestock and crop theft.

Rural areas showed slightly higher crime rates compared to urban areas, with 26,526,069 incidents in rural regions versus 25,360,963 in urban areas. In rural communities, many households relied on local vigilante groups for protection, highlighting the gaps in formal security infrastructure.

The public perception of safety further underscores the challenges as only 9.6% of Nigerians believed they might avoid becoming crime victims in the next 12 months, with rural areas expressing even greater vulnerability at 13% compared to 7% in urban areas.

The survey, according to NBS, was carried out to produce estimates at national and zonal levels, covering urban and rural areas for a 12-month reference period (May 2023 to April 2024).

The bureau said the findings provided crucial insights for security agencies, stakeholders, and policymakers to improve public safety and align with the Sustainable Development Goals 1 (SDG1).