Kidnappers ravaging northern Nigeria have ripped off a whopping N1.81 trillion as ransoms from families in the region in just one year, a Crime Experience and Security Perception Survey (CESPS) reveals.
The report, published by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), disclosed that from April 2023 to May 2024 residents in Northern Nigeria paid N1.81 trillion representing 81% of the total N2.2 trillion ransom paid in kidnapping incidents across the country.
The survey added that Nigerian households experienced 51.9 million crime incidents during the period.
The survey pictured how kidnapping has evolved into a thriving criminal enterprise, severely impacting the economy, livelihoods, and social fabric of Northern Nigeria with vulnerable populations in rural areas contributing N1.44 trillion of the total ransom paid.
The scale of the ransom payments particularly in Northern Nigeria reveals the extent to which kidnapping has become an entrenched and systematic form of organized crime.
The North West alone paid N1.17 trillion, making it the epicentre of the crisis, while the North Central and North East contributed N469.74 billion and N166.14 billion, respectively.
Last year, SBM Intelligence, an Africa-focused market/security intel gathering and strategic consulting firm reported that between July 2022 and June 2023, 3,620 people were abducted in 582 kidnap-related incidents in Nigeria, with a reported ransom demand of at least N5 billion and actual ransom payments of N302 million.
The Cost
These payments highlight the vulnerabilities faced by residents, who are often forced to sell assets, borrow funds, or deplete savings to secure the release of kidnapped loved ones.
In some cases, entire communities pool resources to pay ransoms, leaving them financially weakened.
In addition, the negative impact of these economic losses extends far beyond individual families.
Farmers abandon their fields due to fear of abduction, reducing agricultural productivity and food insecurity.
Traders limit their movements, and businesses curtail operations, shrinking local economies and adding to unemployment.
Rural Areas as Hotspots
The report noted that rural areas have become the most vulnerable to kidnapping, with N1.44 trillion of the total ransom paid coming from the rural communities.
The relative isolation of rural communities, coupled with weak security infrastructure, makes them prime targets for criminal gangs.
In Zamfara, Katsina, and Sokoto states, several villages have been overrun by bandits demanding ransom payments, forcing residents to live in constant fear.
For communities already struggling with poverty and inadequate access to public services, these payments exacerbate existing hardships.
Economic Impact
The report admitted that the financial drain from ransom payments has suppressed economic growth in Northern Nigeria, which already lags behind other regions in terms of development.
It noted that the loss of N1.81 trillion is equivalent to funds that could have been invested in critical sectors such as education, healthcare, and infrastructure.
The impact is particularly severe in the agricultural sector, which forms the backbone of the northern economy.
Farmers in areas like the North West have abandoned farmlands due to persistent insecurity, reducing output and driving up food prices nationwide.
The industrial and commercial sectors are also affected, with businesses reluctant to invest in high-risk areas.
The lack of economic activity further perpetuates cycles of poverty, making communities more susceptible to criminal exploitation.
Poor Governance
These figures reveal the failure of governance and security, despite numerous military operations and billions of naira allocated to security agencies.
Residents often express frustration at the inability of the government to provide adequate protection or bring perpetrators to justice.
In some cases, community leaders have resorted to negotiating directly with kidnappers, further emboldening criminal networks.
Critics argue that the government’s response has been reactive rather than proactive.
While military offensives disrupt criminal operations temporarily, they fail to address the root causes of insecurity, such as poverty, unemployment, and weak law enforcement.
Children and Education
The kidnapping crisis has also taken a toll on education in Northern Nigeria. Schools have become targets for mass abductions, with criminals viewing students as lucrative sources of ransom.
Parents, fearing for their children’s safety, are withdrawing them from schools, leading to a rise in dropout rates.
In the North West, several schools remain closed months after abductions, depriving children of their right to education and undermining human capital development in the region.
The long-term implications of this trend are dire, as it perpetuates cycles of illiteracy and poverty.
For observers, addressing the kidnapping crisis in Nigeria, particularly in the North, requires a comprehensive and multi-faceted approach.
