The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) has revealed that Nigerians paid a staggering N2.23 trillion as ransom over a 12-month period between May 2023 and April 2024. This amount was paid by households affected by kidnapping incidents, underscoring the increasing threat posed by criminal activities across the country.
The NBS’s latest Crime Experience and Security Perception Survey report shows that a total of 51.89 million crime incidents were recorded across Nigerian households during the reference period.
The North-West region reported the highest number of crimes, with 14.4 million cases, followed by the North-Central region with 8.8 million incidents. In contrast, the South-East had the lowest crime rate, with 6.18 million incidents.
The findings also indicated that rural areas were more affected by crime than urban centres, with rural households experiencing 26.53 million incidents, compared to 25.36 million in urban areas.
Kidnapping was identified as a particularly severe issue, with 4.14 million households reporting home robberies.
Of the households affected by kidnapping, 65% were forced to pay ransom to secure the release of victims. The average ransom paid amounted to N2.67 million, which contributed to the total N2.23 trillion paid by Nigerians to criminals over the 12 months.
Despite the high number of crimes, only 36.3% of households that experienced home robberies reported the incidents to the police, and the reporting rate for kidnappings was similarly low. Many victims cited a lack of confidence in law enforcement, believing that police intervention would not result in meaningful action.
The survey also found that 21.4% of Nigerians were victims of crime at the individual level, with phone theft being the most common offence, affecting 13.8% of the population. While 90% of phone theft victims reported the crime to the police, only half were satisfied with the police’s response.
In terms of sexual offences, an estimated 1.4 million Nigerians were victims, with most incidents occurring in either the victim’s residence or someone else’s home. Only 22.7% of victims reported the crime to the police.
Public perception of safety remains concerning, with 9.6% of Nigerians believing they are at risk of becoming crime victims in the next 12 months. The fear of crime was higher in rural areas, where 13% of the population felt vulnerable, compared to just 7% in urban areas.
The survey also raised concerns about the effectiveness of Nigeria’s security agencies, particularly the police, in responding to emergencies. Only 33.1% of Nigerians reported that security agencies responded to emergency calls within 30 minutes. Satisfaction with police responses was notably low, especially in cases involving livestock and crop theft, where less than half of victims expressed satisfaction. In many rural areas, local vigilante groups were seen as more reliable sources of security.
The findings paint a troubling picture of the state of crime and security in Nigeria, highlighting the need for greater accountability and efficiency in law enforcement.
