At least 7,568 people were kidnapped in Nigeria between July 2023 and June 2024 according to a report by SBM Intelligence, a market intelligence and security analysis firm.

The report revealed that during this period, N1 billion was paid as ransom to secure the release of victims.

The report further stated that these kidnappings occurred in 1,130 different incidents. The total amount demanded by kidnappers was over N10 billion, but only about N1 billion was actually paid.

“Nigeria’s security crisis has become increasingly complex, with armed groups and non-state actors exploiting the state’s weakened influence,” SBM Intelligence noted. They highlighted various security challenges across the country, including Boko Haram in the North-east, armed gangs in the North-central and North-west, secessionist violence in the South-east, and gang-related issues in the South-west. “Amid these diverse security threats, widespread kidnap for ransom has emerged as a common thread,” the report added.

The report also pointed out that kidnappings in Nigeria have become more deadly, with 1,056 people killed in the 1,130 reported incidents.

“On average, someone is killed each time there is an attempted kidnap,” the report stated. It was also noted that women were more often targeted than men, and the rise in kidnappings is linked to the country’s economic difficulties. “As the country’s economic challenges deepen and more individuals fall below the poverty line, more people have taken to kidnapping for ransom for survival,” the report explained. It called for urgent action to prevent kidnapping from becoming an entrenched norm in Nigeria.

Zamfara State was identified as the most affected by kidnappings, followed by Kaduna and Katsina states. The report disclosed that “Zamfara recorded 132 incidents with 1,639 victims, Kaduna had 113 incidents with 1,113 victims, and Katsina reported 119 incidents with 887 victims.” The three states also had the highest number of civilian deaths.

The report also shed light on mass abductions, where more than 3,000 people were kidnapped in 135 incidents. “From January to June, we found that 135 incidents of mass abductions—kidnap incidents with at least five victims per incident—have been reported, with 3,277 people kidnapped and 125 people killed,” the report highlighted.

In response to the growing kidnapping crisis, President Bola Tinubu has stated that the federal government will not pay ransom to kidnappers.

The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, emphasized this, saying, “Mr President has also directed that no ransom will be paid by government to any of these criminal elements.” President Tinubu reiterated this stance in an article published in April, where he vowed that kidnappers “will receive not a dime.”

Despite the government’s stance, many Nigerians still pay ransom to rescue their kidnapped loved ones, and there are concerns that the government may still be involved in some ransom payments.