ABUJA — A recent report by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) has highlighted the devastating financial toll of insecurity in Nigeria. According to the bureau's Crime Experience and Security Perception Survey, Nigerian households paid an estimated ₦2.23 trillion in ransom to kidnappers during a 12-month period between May 2023 and April 2024.

Key Findings from the NBS Survey

The survey provides a detailed look at the scale of criminal activity across the country, focusing on the experiences of millions of households.

Total Ransom Paid: An estimated ₦2.23 trillion was paid to secure the release of kidnapping victims.

Kidnapping Incidents: There were approximately 2.24 million kidnapping incidents recorded during the review period.

Rural vs. Urban Impact: Rural communities were disproportionately affected, accounting for about 1.67 million of the total incidents, compared to 567,850 in urban areas.

Ransom Trends: Roughly 65% of households affected by kidnapping paid a ransom, with an average payment of approximately ₦2.7 million per incident.

Regional Disparities: The North-West region reported the highest number of kidnapping cases and the largest total ransom payments, while the South-East recorded the lowest number of incidents.

Crime Statistics and Security Spending

The survey also estimated that Nigerian households experienced a total of 51.89 million crime incidents during the same 12-month period. These crimes included livestock and crop theft, home robbery, burglary, and vehicle theft.

Despite this high rate of crime, the report noted a significant gap in police involvement:

Low Reporting: Only about 25.7% of all crime incidents were reported to the police.

Reasons for Non-Reporting: Many households cited a lack of confidence in law enforcement and a belief that police intervention would not lead to meaningful results as primary reasons for not filing reports.

High Budgetary Allocation: These findings have drawn scrutiny because they coincide with a period where the federal government approved over ₦9.17 trillion for key security institutions including the Nigerian Army, Navy, Air Force, and Police between 2020 and 2024.

Implications for Public Safety

The NBS report emphasizes that criminal activities are creating a severe emotional and financial burden on families across the country. As residents increasingly feel unsafe in public spaces and transit systems, the data underscores the ongoing challenges facing Nigeria's security architecture despite massive annual investments.