Abuja, Nigeria — A shocking new report by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) has revealed that Nigerians paid an estimated N2.3 trillion in ransoms over the past 12 months. This figure, highlighted in the 2024 Crime Experience and Security Perception Survey (CESPS), underscores the severe financial and social impact of crime, particularly kidnapping, in the country.
The survey, which spans the period from May 2023 to April 2024, found that 65% of households affected by kidnapping incidents resorted to paying ransoms to secure the release of their loved ones. On average, each household paid N2.67 million per kidnapping incident, further emphasizing the widespread financial burden that these criminal activities are placing on Nigerian families.
High Crime Incidence Across the Country
The CESPS also revealed that 51,887,032 crime incidents were experienced by Nigerian households during the survey period. The highest number of reported crime incidents occurred in the North-West, with over 14.4 million incidents. The North-Central region followed closely with 8.8 million reported crimes, while the South-East recorded the lowest number of incidents at just 6.2 million.
Interestingly, the survey highlighted that rural areas experienced a higher incidence of crime (26.5 million incidents) compared to urban areas (25.4 million incidents). This reflects the greater vulnerability of rural communities to various forms of crime, including theft and violent attacks.
Home Robbery and Reporting Challenges
The report also showed that 4,142,174 households experienced home robbery during the survey period. However, less than half (36.3%) of those who fell victim to home robbery reported the crime to the police. A significant factor for this low reporting rate was a lack of trust in law enforcement, with many citizens believing that police intervention would be ineffective or insufficient.
At the individual level, 21.4% of Nigerians reported being victims of crime, with phone theft being the most common crime, affecting 13.8% of individuals. Interestingly, while about 90% of victims of phone theft reported the crime to the police, only 50% of them expressed satisfaction with the police response.
Sexual Offences and Police Response
The survey also revealed alarming statistics regarding sexual offences, with an estimated 1.4 million Nigerians falling victim to such crimes during the survey period. Most sexual offences were reported to have occurred in someone else’s home (27.7%), followed by the victim’s own home (22.2%).
Despite the gravity of these crimes, only 22.7% of victims of sexual offences reported the crime to the police. This low reporting rate reflects a broader lack of confidence in law enforcement, which was a recurring theme throughout the survey. Furthermore, only 33.1% of Nigerians reported that security agencies responded to emergency calls within 30 minutes, a key indicator of the effectiveness of crime prevention efforts.
Public Perception of Safety and Police Interaction
Public perception of safety remains a significant concern, with 9.6% of Nigerians fearing they might become victims of crime in the next 12 months. The survey revealed that rural areas had a higher perceived risk of victimization (13.0%) compared to urban areas (7.0%).
Regarding interactions with security agencies, 4 out of 10 households reported at least one interaction with state or local security forces during the survey period. Of those interactions, 50% had contact with the Nigerian Police, though satisfaction with police responses was generally low, especially for crimes such as livestock theft (42.9%) and crop theft (42.4%).
Reliance on Vigilante Groups
In many rural areas, where trust in the police is low, local vigilante groups play a crucial role in providing security. These informal groups are often seen as more reliable by community members, highlighting the growing gap between public expectations of formal law enforcement and the actual performance of state security agencies.
Conclusion
The findings of the 2024 Crime Experience and Security Perception Survey paint a troubling picture of crime in Nigeria, with ransom payments, kidnapping, theft, and sexual violence among the most pressing concerns. The low rate of crime reporting, coupled with the lack of confidence in law enforcement, points to systemic challenges within the Nigerian security apparatus.
As Nigeria continues to battle rising crime rates and insecurity, the survey underscores the urgent need for improved police responsiveness, public trust-building, and enhanced security measures, particularly in rural areas. With many Nigerians relying on local vigilante groups for protection, it is clear that reform and investment in the formal security sector are critical to restoring public confidence and reducing crime in the country.
