BUSINESS DAY
Between the period of July 2022 and June 2023, at least 3,620 persons were abducted in 582 kidnap-related incidents across Nigeria, a new report has said.
BusinessDay shows that the number is more than the 3,420 people that were kidnapped between the period of July 2021 – June 2022.
According to the report titled ‘The Economics of Nigeria’s Kidnap Industry by SBM Intelligence, an Africa-focused geopolitical research and strategic communications consulting firm, at least five billion naira ($6.4 million as of June 30) were reported as ransom demands, while verified ransom payouts amounted to N302 million ($387,179), a figure potentially underestimated due to underreporting.
“We believe these numbers could be far higher than reported. This is because victims’ families and the police often choose not to state whether or not a ransom was paid to procure the release of the abducted, and in the few cases when ransom payments are acknowledged, the fees are hardly disclosed,” it said.
It said the kidnapped figures reflect Nigeria’s security agencies’ struggle to contain kidnap for ransom. “Yet, the number of kidnappers killed has not served as a credible deterrent for would-be kidnappers.”
It added that the rising kidnap incidents show the industry’s profitability outweighs the perceived threat of state intervention and police rescues.
SBM also revealed that the North Central region recorded higher ransom amounts, notably in Nasarawa state, where targeted abductions yielded maximum ransoms with minimal resistance.
It said the South-South’s low ransom payments may indicate efficient police intervention or victim silence. “We believe that the latter is more likely as kidnap victims fear re-abduction.”
The report added that at the state level, Edo kidnappers sought high ransoms but received little while victims in Taraba paid the most, primarily due to a single incident. Zamfara, Kaduna and Niger had the highest per capita abduction rates, often involving mass community abductions.
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