Grim Reaping: Economics of Nigeria’s Kidnap Industry–A 2024 Update

Nigeria’s security crisis has become increasingly complex, with armed groups and non-state actors exploiting the state’s weakened influence. This includes Boko Haram’s resurgence in the Northeast, armed gangs in the Northcentral and Northwest, secessionist violence in the Southeast, and gang-related issues in the Southwest. Amid these diverse security threats, widespread kidnap for ransom has emerged as a common thread.

Between July 2023 and June 2024, our research found that no fewer than 7,568 people were abducted in 1,130 incidents across the country. In that same period, kidnappers demanded at least the sum of ₦10,995,090,000 (approximately $6,871,931) as ransom but received ₦1,048,110,000, a mere 9.5% of the money demanded, indicating that kidnappers have become less targeted in their victimology.

Of the 1,130 reported kidnapping cases, Zamfara, Kaduna, and Katsina have the highest numbers of incidents and victims. Zamfara recorded 132 incidents with 1,639 victims, Kaduna had 113 incidents with 1,113 victims, and Katsina reported 119 incidents with 887 victims. These three states also have the highest number of civilian deaths. In the year under review in this report, kidnapping has become more lethal, with 1,056 people killed in 1,130 reported kidnap incidents. On average, someone is killed each time there is an attempted kidnap.

The FCT has the highest ransom demands, followed closely by Lagos and Kaduna. When comparing geopolitical zones, the Southeast has the highest ransom paid and collection rate overall. This year, as in previous years, kidnappers have continued to demand in-kind payments from victims’ families, ranging from food, drinks and cigarettes in the South to motorcycles in the North.

One thing that may cause problems in future is that kidnappers are increasingly breaking trust. More than four ransom bearers have been killed, and three others abducted this year, and if this trend persists, it may get more challenging to find people eager or willing to deliver ransoms on behalf of victims.

A notable feature of this year’s kidnapping incidents is the prevalence of mass abductions – kidnap events in which at least five people are abducted – particularly in the North. From January to June, there have been 135 mass abduction incidents involving at least five victims per incident, with 3,277 people kidnapped and 125 killed.

SBM’s analysis reveals that women are more frequently kidnapped than men. Comparing kidnapping incident trends from 2022 to 2024, the South has seen only a slight increase in absolute numbers. However, the North has experienced a dramatic rise in incidents this year, surpassing the combined totals of the previous two years, signalling a rapidly worsening and out-of-control situation.

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. 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. Only then can Nigeria hope to address the growing threat of kidnapping and restore a sense of security to its citizens.

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