N2.23tn Paid as Ransom in 12 Months, Says NBS

A staggering N2.23 trillion was paid as ransom to kidnappers in Nigeria within a 12-month period, according to the National Bureau of Statistics.

This alarming figure was revealed in the latest Crime Experience and Security Perception Survey conducted by the NBS.

The survey, which covered the period from May 2023 to April 2024, also showed that a total of 51.89 million crime incidences were experienced by households during the review period.

The North-West region recorded the highest number of crimes, with over 14.4 million incidents, followed by the North-Central region at 8.8 million.

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 settings.

The average ransom paid by households affected by kidnapping was N2.67 million, with approximately 4.14 million households falling victim to home robbery.

Only 36.3% of those affected by home robbery reported the incident to the police, while the reporting rate for kidnappings was similarly low.

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Phone theft was the most common crime, affecting 13.8% of Nigerians, while an estimated 1.4 million Nigerians fell victim to sexual offences.

The survey also highlighted the lack of trust in security forces, with only 33.1% of Nigerians reporting that security agencies responded to emergency calls within 30 minutes.