Esther Igomu
The National Bureau of Statistics Reports that Nigerians have Paid 2.3 Trillion Naira in Ransom Over 12 Months. This alarming figure underscores the devastating financial impact of crime on the country.
The 2024 Crime Experience and Security Perception Survey (CESPS) revealed that 65 percent of households affected by kidnappings paid ransoms, with an average payment of 2.67 million Niair per incident.
During this period, an estimated 51.9 million crime incidents were recorded nationwide, with the North-West region accounting for the highest number (14.4 million).
Rural areas experienced higher crime rates, with 26.5 million incidents compared to 25.4 million in urban areas.
Home robberies affected over 4.1 million households, but only 36.3 percent of victims reported these incidents to the police, citing distrust in law enforcement and skepticism over police efficacy.At the individual level, 21.4 percent of Nigerians reported being victims of crime, with phone theft accounting for 13.8 percent of incidents.
Among phone theft victims, 90 percent reported to the police, but only half expressed satisfaction with police responses. Sexual offenses were another significant concern, affecting an estimated 1.4 million individuals.
