No fewer than N1.4 billion was paid by Nigerians as ransom to kidnappers across the country from July 2023 to June 2024, a new report by SBM Intelligence has revealed.
According to the security intel gathering firm, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) has the highest ransom demands, followed closely by Lagos and Kaduna, adding that “when comparing geopolitical zones, the Southeast has the highest ransom paid and collection rate overall.”
The firm said its research found that within the period under review, no fewer than 7,568 people were abducted in 1,130 incidents across the country.
The report stated further that “In that same period, kidnappers demanded at least the sum of N10,995,090,000 (approximately $6,871,931) as ransom but received N1,048,110,000, a mere 9.5% of the money demanded, indicating that kidnappers have become less targeted in
their victimology”.
“Of the 1,130 reported kidnapping cases, Zamfara, Kaduna, and Katsina have the highest numbers of incidents and victims. Zamfara recorded 132 incidents with 1,639 victims, Kaduna had 113 incidents with 1,113 victims, and Katsina reported 119 incidents with 887 victims.
“These three states also have the highest number of civilian deaths. In the year under review in this report, kidnapping has become more lethal, with 1,056 people killed in 1,130 reported kidnap incidents.”
According to SBM, on average, someone is killed each time there is an attempted kidnap.
“This year, as in previous years, kidnappers have continued to demand in-kind payments from victims’ families, ranging from food, drinks and cigarettes in the South to motorcycles in the North.
“More than four ransom bearers have been killed, and three others abducted this year, and if this trend persists, it may get more challenging to find people eager or willing to deliver ransoms on behalf of victims,” the firm added.
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