The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) has revealed that Nigerians paid a staggering ₦2.23 trillion in ransom payments between May 2023 and April 2024.

According to the NBS’s latest Crime Experience and Security Perception Survey report, published on Tuesday, 65% of households affected by kidnappings paid ransoms to secure the release of loved ones.

“The average ransom paid was ₦2,670,693, with an estimated total of ₦2,231,772,563,507 paid during the period under review,” the report stated.

The survey also estimated a total of 2,235,954 kidnapping incidents nationwide, with rural areas (1,668,104) recording significantly more cases than urban areas (567,850).

“An analysis by zone shows the North-West recorded the highest number of cases (1,420,307), followed by the North-Central (317,837), while the South-East had the lowest (110,432),” the report added.

The survey indicated that 80.5% of households affected by kidnappings reported the incidents to the police. Reporting rates were highest in the South-South zone at 100%, followed by the North-Central at 89.6%, while the North-West had the lowest at 73.9%. Urban areas reported at a rate of 87.1%, compared to 77.3% in rural areas.

The data further revealed that some abductees were killed, while others were released. Of the reported cases, 82.1% of victims were freed, 12.8% were killed, and 3.3% remained in captivity.

About 91% of kidnappings were motivated by ransom demands, often in the form of money, goods, or other benefits. Meanwhile, 2.4% of incidents were linked to political, criminal, or terrorist objectives, 2.1% stemmed from personal or family disputes, and 0.5% were related to custody issues.

On overall crime rates, the survey indicated that the North-West led with 14.4 million incidents, followed by the North-Central with 8.8 million. The South-East recorded the lowest crime rate, with 6.18 million cases during the review period.

Kidnappings remain a major security challenge in Nigeria, with cases ranging from mass abductions in schools to the killing of victims. Despite assurances from the government and security agencies, experts argue that the crisis persists largely unabated.