The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) has disclosed that 614,937 Nigerians were killed, and 2,235,954 others abducted across the country between May 2023 and April 2024.
The alarming revelation is contained in the NBS report titled “The Crime Experienced and Security Perception Survey (CESPS) 2024”, based on surveys conducted within the review period.
The report further disclosed that an estimated N2.2trillion was paid as ransom for the kidnappings, with an average of N2.7million demanded per incident.
Breaking down the data, rural areas witnessed a higher murder rate of 335,827 cases, compared to 279,110 in urban areas.
However, experts suggest that poor villagers bore the brunt of these crimes, despite high-profile abductions making headlines.
Regionally, the North West recorded the highest number of murder cases (206,030), followed by the North East (188,992), while the South West had the least (15,693).
The report revealed that nearly seven out of 10 households nationwide reported murder cases to the police. Of these, 33% said the perpetrator was an unknown person, 23.4% identified the murderer as a member of their household, and 1% indicated that the killer was a spouse or lover.
Regarding kidnappings, the report estimated that 1,668,104 individuals were kidnapped in rural areas and 567,850 in urban regions.
The North West recorded the highest number of abductions, with 1,420,307 cases, followed by the North Central (317,837) and the South East (110,432).
Among the reported kidnapping cases, 82.1% of victims were released, 12.8% were killed, 3.3% remained in captivity, and 1.3% had an unknown outcome.
The report noted that an estimated N2.2 trillion was paid as ransom during the period, with the North West accounting for the largest share at N1.2 trillion, while the South East reported the least at N85.4 billion.
By proportion, the North Central had the highest rate of ransom payments (83.4%), followed by the North East (78.6%). Urban households paid an average ransom of N3.7 million, compared to N2.3 million in rural areas.
Furthermore, 91% of kidnappings were attributed to ransom demands, while 2.4% were linked to political, criminal, or terrorist motives. Personal or family disputes accounted for 2.1%, and custody disputes made up 0.5%.
On motor vehicle theft, the report stated that 1,587,363 vehicles were stolen nationwide, with the North West leading at 603,756 cases, followed by the North Central (246,329), and the South West reporting the fewest (140,144).
However, rural areas accounted for 887,002 thefts, compared to 700,361 in urban areas. Among households affected, 57.6% reported the thefts to the police.
The report also noted that Nigerians spent an average of N80,878 on security measures over the past year.
The South East had the highest average expenditure at N135,398, followed by the North Central at N103,476, while the South West reported the lowest at N34,408.
Meanwhile, urban households spent more on security (N86,997) than rural households (N72,849).
In terms of safety perceptions, 31.7% of respondents felt most unsafe at Automated Teller Machine (ATM) points, 29.1% in public transport, and 7% in religious places.