Nigerians paid N2.3 trillions in ransom over 12 months – NBS

Over the past 12-months, Nigerians have paid a staggering N2.3 trillion in ransom.

This was revealed in a report released by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) on Tuesday.

The figure, drawn from the 2024 Crime Experience and Security Perception Survey (CESPS), underscores the financial toll of crimes in the country.

The survey, covering May 2023 to April 2024, revealed that 65 per cent of households impacted by kidnappings paid ransoms, averaging N2.67 million per incident. During this period, an estimated 51.9 million crime incidences were recorded nationwide.

The North-West accounted for the highest crime incidence at 14.4 million cases, followed by the North-Central (8.8 million).

The South-East reported the lowest number, with 6.2 million cases. Notably, rural areas experienced higher crime rates, with 26.5 million incidents compared to 25.4 million in urban areas.

Home robberies affected over 4.1 million households, yet only 36.3 per cent of victims reported these incidents to the police. The report attributed the low reporting rates to distrust in law enforcement and scepticism over police efficacy.

At the individual level, 21.4 per cent of Nigerians reported being victims of crime, with phone theft accounting for 13.8 per cent of incidents.

Among phone theft victims, 90 per cent reported to the police, but only half expressed satisfaction with police responses.

Sexual offences were another significant concern, affecting an estimated 1.4 million individuals.