National Security Adviser, Malam Nuhu Ribadu, recently touted an 80% success rate in combating kidnapping under President Bola Tinubu’s administration, claiming significant progress in the past two years. However, this optimistic declaration comes amid alarming statistics from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), which revealed that Nigerians paid over N2.2 trillion in ransoms in 2024 alone. In addition, 2.2 million Nigerians were kidnapped, and nearly 615,000 were killed, raising doubts about the true effectiveness of the government’s efforts.
While Ribadu acknowledged that kidnapping remains one of the country’s most pressing security challenges, he emphasized the progress made through the newly established Multi-Agency Anti-Kidnap Fusion Cell (MAAKFC). The initiative, he explained, embodies a multi-agency approach to tackling the scourge of kidnapping that has disrupted lives and economic activities nationwide. However, many Nigerians are questioning whether 80% success is enough in the face of such staggering statistics, and whether the government’s strategies are truly yielding the desired results or merely glossing over the scale of the crisis.
With kidnapping continuing to ravage communities and drain resources, the government’s claims of progress may fall short of addressing the depth of the issue. As the nation grapples with ongoing security threats, it remains to be seen whether the measures in place will effectively curb the alarming trend of abductions or whether the true scale of the problem is still being underestimated.