A damning report by the National Bureau of Statistics has revealed that Nigerians paid a staggering N2.23 trillion as ransom to kidnappers between May 2023 and April 2024, painting a grim picture of the country’s worsening insecurity. The shocking data also disclosed that 2.2 million Nigerians were kidnapped and 614,937 killed within the same period, sparking outrage and fierce criticism of the government’s handling of the crisis.
Opposition parties, including the Labour Party and the New Nigeria People’s Party, have strongly condemned the Federal Government and its security apparatus, accusing them of failing to stem the tide of rampant abductions and killings. Labour Party’s National Publicity Secretary, Obiora Ifoh, lamented the unchecked rise of kidnapping, calling it a “booming business” that has brought insecurity to every Nigerian household.
Ifoh pointed to the shocking statistics, highlighting the harrowing reality that in a population of 230 million, at least one in every hundred Nigerians has been kidnapped. He decried the inefficiency of the security budget and criticized the lack of verifiable data on the alleged arrests and neutralization of criminals by the military.
Similarly, Ladipo Johnson, the National Publicity Secretary of the NNPP, described the report as a reflection of the pain and trauma inflicted on countless families. He urged the government to prioritize its constitutional duty to protect the lives and property of citizens, warning that the ongoing insecurity could deter foreign investors and derail the nation’s economic progress.
In response to the backlash, National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu defended the government’s efforts, claiming an 80 percent success rate in combating kidnapping over the past two years. Ribadu also highlighted the inauguration of the Multi-Agency Anti-Kidnap Fusion Cell in Abuja, a collaboration with the UK’s National Crime Agency, as evidence of ongoing strides in tackling the menace.
The ruling All Progressives Congress, however, pushed back against the NBS data, questioning its accuracy and fairness. APC National Publicity Director Bala Ibrahim argued that any analysis of ransom payments must also include figures on the money recovered from kidnappers during operations. He maintained that significant recoveries are often made when criminals are captured or neutralized, emphasizing the importance of recognizing these successes.
The controversy surrounding the NBS report has brought renewed attention to Nigeria’s security challenges and the government’s ability to tackle them effectively. With public confidence wavering and political parties demanding accountability, the call for decisive action to end the kidnapping crisis has never been louder.
As the debate intensifies, millions of Nigerians continue to live in fear, grappling with the ever-present threat of abduction and violence. The urgent need for robust security reforms and improved intelligence gathering is clear, as the nation seeks solutions to a crisis that has touched every corner of society.
