The Crime Experience and Security Perception Survey (CESPS) conducted by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) has revealed that Nigerians paid an astounding N2.23 trillion in ransom to kidnappers over the course of a year.
This survey highlights the serious challenges facing households across Nigeria regarding crime and security.
Spanning from May 2023 to April 2024, the household-based survey offered insights into crime prevalence, public safety, and the responses of law enforcement, providing essential data for policymakers and security agencies.
The survey estimated that households throughout Nigeria encountered an alarming 51,887,032 crime incidents during the reference period.
The North-West region reported the highest number of incidents, totalling 14.4 million, followed by the North-Central with 8.8 million. In contrast, the South-East recorded the fewest incidents at 6.2 million. Rural areas were particularly affected, with 26.5 million incidents compared to 25.4 million in urban areas.
“In Nigeria, 4,142,174 households experienced home robbery, yet fewer than half (36.3%) of these victims reported the crimes to the police. Among those who faced kidnapping, 65.0% paid a ransom.
The average ransom paid was ₦2,670,693, culminating in an estimated total of ₦2,231,772,563,507 during the reference period,” stated the Survey.
On an individual level, the Survey noted that 21.4% of Nigerians reported being victims of crime, with phone theft being the most common (13.8%).
While 90% of phone theft victims reported their experiences to the police, only half expressed satisfaction with the law enforcement response.
The NBS CESPS estimated that 1.4 million Nigerians suffered sexual offences, with the majority occurring in private locations, such as someone else’s home (27.7%) or the victim’s own home (22.2%). Alarmingly, only 22.7% of these victims reported the crimes to the police, citing a lack of confidence in law enforcement.
The survey indicated that 9.6% of Nigerians believed they were at risk of becoming victims of crime in the coming year, with perceptions of risk being significantly higher in rural areas (13.0%) compared to urban regions (7.0%).
The national average emergency response time from security agencies was reported to be under 30 minutes in only 33.1% of cases.
Due to inadequate police coverage, particularly for crimes such as livestock and crop theft, rural communities often rely on local vigilante groups, with satisfaction regarding police response measured at a mere 42.9% and 42.4%, respectively.
With fewer than half of crime victims reporting incidents to law enforcement, these findings underscore significant gaps in public trust and the efficacy of law enforcement.
Policymakers and security agencies are urged to tackle these critical challenges by enhancing emergency response systems, fostering public confidence, and improving support for victims to create a safer Nigeria.
