Nigeria’s Kidnapping Crisis: A Nation Under Siege—Nextier Group

Nigeria’s fight against insecurity has reached a critical juncture, with kidnapping emerging as the most widespread and rapidly escalating threat across the country.

According to recent data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), 2.24 million kidnapping incidents occurred between May 2023 and April 2024 alone.

This crisis, which primarily affects ordinary Nigerians, farmers, students, and commuters, is jeopardising the country’s social and financial stability.

The NBS found that 65% of victims’ households paid ransoms, with an average cost of ₦2.7 million per case.

This means that criminal organisations receive an estimated ₦2.3 trillion, which fuels their operations and encourages more abductions.

The North West region bears the brunt of the crisis, with around 1.42 million incidents, followed by North Central with 318,000.

While traditionally concentrated in rural areas, kidnapping has evolved into a “national security challenge,” infiltrating cities and affecting people from increasingly diverse backgrounds. Between July 2022 and June 2023, a staggering 3,620 people were kidnapped and 570 killed in Abuja, demonstrating the criminal networks’ growing reach.

Recent reports reveal a chilling new tactic used by kidnappers: forcing victims to falsely claim ties to powerful individuals in order to increase ransom demands.

A recent case involved a victim forced to pose as the brother of Zamfara State Governor Dauda Lawal, which drew widespread media attention.

This disturbing trend represents a significant increase in criminal networks’ operations, which use psychological warfare to further terrorise the population.

This manipulation not only raises ransom demands, but it also erodes public confidence in the government’s ability to protect its citizens.

The message is clear: even those who appear to be close to power are not immune. This exacerbates paranoia and risks driving Nigeria into a state of lawlessness, with fear-induced vigilantism replacing the rule of law.

The crisis requires immediate and coordinated action at all levels of government. Key steps include:

Enhanced Intelligence Gathering: Stronger intelligence gathering, combined with robust community engagement, is critical for preventing abductions before they occur.

Disrupting the Ransom Economy: Take steps to make it more difficult for criminal groups to receive and distribute large sums of money, such as tighter control over cash movements.
Supporting First Responders: Providing adequate resources to understaffed police and vigilante networks in rural areas.
Judicial accountability entails ensuring that kidnappers are not only apprehended, but also prosecuted quickly and publicly.

Nigeria is at a turning point. Kidnapping has evolved from roadside ambushes to impersonation-driven psychological warfare, indicating a deepening crisis that threatens the country’s very foundation.

The situation in Haiti serves as a stark reminder of what happens when insecurity goes unchecked.
The government must act quickly and decisively to stem the tide of kidnapping, reclaim public trust, and ensure citizens’ fundamental right to live without fear. The time to act is now.