1,056 Nigerians killed, N10.9 billion ransom demanded by suspected kidnappers in one year, report says

A new report by SB Morgen (SBM) Intelligence has revealed that at least 1,056 Nigerians were killed in kidnapping cases between July 2023 and June 2024, with their abductors demanding N10.9 billion.

Whether it is Boko Haram in the northeast, armed gangs in the north-central and northwest, separatist violence in the southeast and gang-related problems in the southwest, the report finds that alongside the diverse security threats, widespread kidnapping for ransom is a common thread.

The SBM study found that as many as 7,568 people were kidnapped in 1,130 incidents across the country between July 2023 and June 2024.

“During the same period, kidnappers demanded at least the sum of N10,995,090,000 (approximately $6,871,931) as ransom but received N1,048,110,000, a mere 9.5 percent of the money demanded, indicating that kidnappers have become less targeted based on their victimology,” the report said.

Of the 1,130 reported kidnapping cases, Zamfara, Kaduna and Katsina had the most incidents and victims.

While Zamfara recorded 132 incidents with 1,639 casualties, Kaduna had 113 incidents with 1,113 casualties and Katsina reported 119 incidents with 887 casualties. The three states also had the highest number of civilian deaths, according to SBM.

“In the past year, kidnapping has become more deadly, with 1,056 deaths in 1,130 reported kidnapping incidents. On average, one person is killed in each attempted kidnapping,” the report said.

The report, titled: “From Reaping: Economics of Nigeria’s Kidnapping Industry”, found that the power centre, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), had the highest ransom demands, closely followed by Lagos and Kaduna.

When comparing geopolitical zones, the Southeast generally had the highest ransom amounts and recovery rates.

“This year, as in previous years, kidnappers continue to demand material payments from their victims’ families, ranging from food, drink and cigarettes in the south to motorbikes in the north,” SBM said.

It was stressed that kidnappers could cause problems in the future as they increasingly break trust. This year, more than four ransom carriers have been killed and three others kidnapped.

“If this trend continues, it may become more difficult to find people willing to pay ransoms on behalf of victims,” the report said.

A striking feature of this year’s kidnapping incidents is the prevalence of mass kidnappings and kidnappings involving at least five people, particularly in the north.

From January to June, it recorded 135 mass kidnappings with at least five victims per incident, with 3,277 people kidnapped and 125 killed. SBM’s analysis revealed that women are more likely to be kidnapped than men.

Comparing trends in kidnapping incidents from 2022 to 2024, it said the South had seen only a slight increase in absolute numbers. However, it noted that the North had experienced a dramatic increase in incidents this year, surpassing the combined totals of the previous two years, indicating a rapidly deteriorating and out-of-control situation.

“As the country’s economic challenges increase and more people fall below the poverty line, more people have turned to kidnapping for ransom to survive. To prevent this crime from becoming an entrenched norm, there is an urgent need for a comprehensive and coordinated effort to disrupt the financial flows that sustain these criminal activities,” the report said.

As the state’s influence wanes, armed groups and non-state actors have stepped in to fill the power vacuum and establish control in several regions, the report said. The report said these groups have exacerbated the country’s food crisis and inflation.

Insecurity in Nigeria has increased, the report said, likely because more people have become poorer due to the stagnant economy, which has made them desperate and has led them to resort to kidnapping for ransom to survive.

As a result, the pool of wealthy individuals has shrunk, making everyone, including the citizenry, students, babies and others, a target, it was said.

Some organizations, particularly government agencies, often choose not to disclose as a matter of principle whether a ransom has been paid or how much it is.

This difference in the number of kidnapped people compared to states with the lowest kidnapping rates, such as Gombe, Jigawa and Bayelsa, is due to the prevalence of mass kidnappings in the worst affected north-western states, such as Zamfara, Kaduna and Katsina.

“In these areas, bandit gangs often take advantage of the inadequate security presence to impose collective punishment on rural communities, often kidnapping entire villages or groups of commuters.

“These groups sometimes use kidnapped individuals as forced labor while they wait for state governments to negotiate, either to relieve military pressure or in retaliation against communities suspected of collaborating with the security forces,” the document reads in part.

According to the SBM, more civilians have been killed in kidnapping attempts than kidnappers and security agents combined in national figures.

“The involvement of the public in meeting these ransom demands poses a significant risk. If kidnappers realize that their demands are not only met by families, but by entire communities or public contributions, they are likely to become even more determined and unyielding.

“This shift in the burden of ransom payments from families and governments to the public could lead to a dangerous escalation in the frequency and severity of kidnappings,” the report said.

Emmanuel Addeh

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