By Olaitan Ibrahim
The Crime Experience and Security Perception Survey (CESPS) carried out by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) has revealed that Nigerians paid a staggering N2.23 trillion as ransom to kidnappers in one year.
The Survey sheds light on the state of crime and security in Nigeria, highlighting significant challenges faced by households nationwide.
Covering the period from May 2023 to April 2024, the household-based survey provided insights into crime prevalence, public safety, and law enforcement responses, offering valuable data for policymakers and security agencies.
The survey estimated that households across Nigeria experienced a staggering 51,887,032 crime incidents during the reference period.
The North-West region recorded the highest crime incidents (14.4 million), followed by the North-Central (8.8 million), while the South-East reported the lowest (6.2 million). Rural areas were disproportionately affected, recording 26.5 million incidents compared to 25.4 million in urban areas.
“In Nigeria, 4,142,174 households experienced home robbery. Less than half (36.3%) of the households who were victims of home robbery reported their experience to the police. Among households that experienced kidnapping incidents, 65.0 percent paid a ransom.
‘The average amount paid as ransom was ₦2,670,693, with an estimated total ransom of ₦2,231,772,563,507 paid within the reference period,” the Survey revealed.
At an individual level, the Survey said 21.4% of Nigerians reported falling victim to crime, with phone theft being the most prevalent (13.8%).
Although 90% of phone theft victims reported the incidents to the police, the survey disclosed that only half expressed satisfaction with law enforcement responses.
The NBS CESPS estimated that 1.4 million Nigerians experienced sexual offences, with most incidents occurring in private spaces such as someone else’s home (27.7%) or the victim’s home (22.2%), while alarmingly, only 22.7% of victims reported these crimes to the police, citing a lack of confidence in law enforcement.
The survey revealed that 9.6% of Nigerians believed they were at risk of falling victim to crime in the next year, saying this perception is higher in rural areas (13.0%) compared to urban regions (7.0%).
The national average response time to emergencies by security agencies was reported as under 30 minutes in only 33.1% of cases.
Rural communities often rely on local vigilante groups due to inadequate police coverage, particularly for crimes like livestock and crop theft, where satisfaction with police response was notably low at 42.9% and 42.4%, respectively.
With less than half of crime victims reporting incidents to the police, the findings highlighted critical gaps in public trust and law enforcement efficacy.
Policymakers and security agencies are urged to address these challenges by enhancing emergency response systems, building public confidence, and improving support for victims to create a safer Nigeria.