The number of reported kidnapped persons in Nigeria between June 2022 and July 2023 increased to 3,620, an analysis of data from SBM Intelligence reveals.
In the preceding period, that is, between June 2021 and July 2022, the number of reported kidnap incidents stood at 3,359.
In that period, Kaduna, Zamfara, and Niger States recorded the highest number of reported kidnap incidents. Likewise, in the 2022/2023 period.
Conversely, these three states also recorded the highest reduction in reported kidnap cases in the country in the 2022/2023 period.
In contrast, Katsina, Kogi, and Ondo recorded the highest increase in the 2022/2023 period.
This could imply that while security agencies intensified their policing in places like Kaduna, Zamfara, and Niger States, which is possibly responsible for the reduction in the number of reported kidnap cases in those hotspot states, other places like Katsina, Kogi, and Ondo likely became easy targets for kidnappers.
This scenario buttresses the need to increase the number of security personnel in the country to ensure adequate policing for all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), at the same time.
The net annual increase of 261 reported kidnap incidents for the country by the July 2022/June 2023 period shows that all the major decline in violence and crime in Kaduna, Zamfara, and Niger States were rather transferred to other states, and more violence was unleashed on Nigerians across all 36 States (The figure for the FCT was not given in 2021/2022 while that for Yobe was not given in 2022/23).
Kidnapping for Ransom Goes Way Back
One of the many challenges Nigeria is battling with today is kidnapping. However, like many of the challenges, kidnapping is not new, as pointed out in several reports.
The history of kidnapping and hostage-taking in Nigeria dates back to decades ago and particularly became a major security issue in the country in the early 2000s with the emergence of the Niger Delta militants.
While the federal government found some ways to manage the kidnapping situation in the Niger Delta region then, the menace didn’t stop. In fact, in recent years, reports showed that kidnapping is on the rise across all regions in the country, with an average of 3,000 persons abducted almost every year in the last 3 years.
There have been various reasons given for the occurrence of kidnapping, including factors such as unemployment, poverty, and a desire for fast money. Terrorist groups, such as Boko Haram and Bandits, have also been known to engage in this activity as a means of funding and sometimes for obtaining food for their survival. Several reports attest to this.
According to the data from SBM Intelligence, between July 2021 and 2022, a total of 3,359 persons were kidnapped, with Kaduna State recording 1,119 cases, the highest figure. Zamfara and Niger States followed with 836 and 529, respectively.
Katsina and Sokoto had over 100 cases of kidnapping within the period under review.
In the period under review, except for Gombe and Kebbi, every other state recorded at least one case of kidnapping.
Besides, between July 2021 and June 2022, the kidnappers demanded a total of N6.53 billion as ransom. Out of which the N653.7 million was paid.
In the period following this, that is, between July 2022 and June 2023, the total number of persons kidnapped within this period was 3,620, a little higher than the figure reported in the preceding period, which this report covers.
According to a report by SBM Intelligence, a total of N5.09 billion was demanded as ransom, and the total amount reported as paid stood at N302.2 million.
Again, Zamfara, Kaduna, and Niger States ranked as the top places where kidnapping occurred in the period under review. This may not be unconnected to the rampant activities of bandits in the region, making the three states hotspots for kidnapping.
This is something the government and security agencies may need to pay more attention to. This does not in any way imply that the government should relax its efforts in other states because they also suffer from this menace of kidnapping.
Dataphyte’s analysis of the data shows that kidnappers appear to be gaining grounds in new territories in places like Katsina, Kogi, and Ondo States where a higher increase in the number of reported kidnap incidents was recorded.
Furthermore, on the number of reported kidnap cases in the 2022/2023 period, Sokoto, Edo, and Kogi recorded a high number of incidents. Over 100 incidents of abduction were reported in each of these states in the period under review. The FCT was not spared. It recorded 125 kidnap cases.
Except for Yobe, every other state recorded at least one incident of kidnapping as well.
Kidnappers Demand N5.1 Billion Ransom from Victims
While we could not get the breakdown by state of the reported amount victims paid as ransom between June 2021 and July 2022, we, however, have the data for between June 2022 and July 2023.
Based on data from SBM, more ransom payments were made in Nasarawa State. This is followed by Taraba, Adamawa, Imo Kwara, Oyo, and Kebbi States, where the sum of N60 million, N28 million, N19 million, N18.7 million, N16 million, and N15 million were paid, respectively.
In Kaduna, Ondo, Akwa-Ibom, and the FCT, victims of kidnapping paid at least 10 million.
It is worth stating that there were zero reported cases of ransom payments in some states, like Delta, Kogi, Katsina, Plateau, Bauchi, and Borno, even though there were demands for ransom. However, this does not mean the victims did not pay money.
According to a report, the reason for this could be swift and better police rescue operations or kidnap victims' reluctance to speak about their plight.
Recall that in 2022, it was reported that no ransom was paid for the release of the 23 Abuja-Kaduna rail kidnap victims.
Also, ransom demands or payments were not reported in some states like Bayelsa, Enugu, Ebonyi, and Abia.
Overall, it was observed that more ransom payments were made in the North-central region. While in the South-South, less was paid compared to the other regions.
As highlighted above, the reason for the low ransom payment in the South-South region could result from swift and/or better police rescue operations or kidnap victims refusing to speak about it.
The high ransom figures from the North-central could have resulted from the high-profile individuals, particularly politicians targeted in the period under review. These people often have the means to pay ransom and/or require minimal hassle to extract maximum ransom, SBM report explained.
Regardless of the regions where kidnappers are likely to receive ransom payment either because of the type of individuals targeted, data clearly shows a serious security situation at hand, which the government and security agencies need to find a lasting solution to as the booming kidnapping industry is biting Nigerians economically, emotionally, among others.
Among other measures needed to resolve this spate of crimes, increasing the strength and capacity of the Police Force may be a direction to consider. The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Olukayode Egbetokun shared this position when he said that the Nigerian Police needs additional personnel to tackle the rate of crime in the country.