A recent National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) survey has exposed alarming crime trends in Nigeria, revealing that citizens paid an estimated N2.23 trillion in ransoms between May 2023 and April 2024.

The comprehensive crime experience and security perception report documented approximately 51.89 million criminal incidents across Nigerian households during the one-year period. The data paints a troubling picture of security challenges facing the country.

Regional Breakdown of Crime Incidents:

- North-West emerged as the most crime-prone zone, reporting over 14 million cases

- North-Central followed with 8.7 million incidents

- South-East recorded the lowest number of crimes at around 6.2 million

Notably, rural areas experienced slightly more criminal activities (26.5 million incidents) compared to urban areas (25.4 million incidents).

Kidnapping and Ransom Highlights:

- 65% of households experiencing kidnapping paid a ransom

- Average ransom payment was N2.67 million

- Total estimated ransom payments reached a staggering N2.23 trillion

Home Robbery Statistics:

- 4.14 million households were victims of home robbery

- Only 36.3% of robbery victims reported incidents to the police

Individual Crime Experiences:

- 21.4% of Nigerians reported being crime victims

- Phone theft was the most common crime, affecting 13.8% of individuals

- 90% of phone theft victims reported to the police

- Only 50% of victims expressed satisfaction with police responses

Reasons for Low Reporting:

The study identified key factors discouraging crime reporting, including:

- Lack of confidence in law enforcement

- Belief that police intervention would not yield meaningful results

The report underscores significant security challenges facing Nigeria, highlighting the urgent need for improved law enforcement and crime prevention strategies.