Nigeria’s National Bureau of Statistics has revealed alarming crime statistics, with Nigerians paying a staggering N2.23tn in ransom between May 2023 and April 2024. This staggering sum was paid by households affected by kidnapping incidents, highlighting the growing threat posed by criminal activities in the country.
According to the NBS’s latest Crime Experience and Security Perception Survey report, an estimated 51.89 million crime incidents were recorded across Nigerian households during the same period. The North-West region had the highest incidence of crime, with 14.4 million cases reported, followed by the North-Central region with 8.8 million incidents.
In contrast, the South-East region reported the least crime, with 6.18 million incidents. Rural areas were more affected by crime than urban areas, with 26.53 million crime incidents in rural households compared to 25.36 million in urban areas.
The report also highlighted the severity of kidnapping, with 4.14 million households experiencing home robbery. Of those affected by kidnappings, 65% were forced to pay ransom to secure the release of victims. The average ransom paid was N2.67m, contributing to the total of N2.23tn paid by Nigerians to criminals during the 12 months.
Despite this, only 36.3% of those who experienced home robbery reported the incidents to the police, with a similarly low reporting rate for kidnapping. Many victims cited a lack of confidence in law enforcement and a belief that police intervention would not lead to meaningful action as the main reasons for not reporting.
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