The Northwestern region of the country recorded the highest number of kidnapping incidents within the period under review.
At least 570 kidnap victims have been killed in Nigeria in 11 months spanning from July 2022 to June 2023.
The Northwestern region of the country recorded the highest number of kidnapping incidents within the period under review.
This was revealed in a report done by a research company, SBM , which stated that within the period under review, no fewer than 3,495 people were abducted in 582 kidnap-related incidents with 570 of the victims killed and that at least N5 billion ($6,410,256 as of 30 June 2023) was reported as ransom demands, while verified ransom payouts amounted to N302 million ($387,179).
In the Northwest region, a total number of 1,921 kidnap cases were recorded with Zamfara state recording 765 cases; Kaduna State, 690 cases; Katsina, 241; Sokoto, 176; Kebbi, 39; Kano, six and Jigawa, four, out of which, 217 of the victims were killed.
In the North Central region, a total of 977 kidnap cases were recorded within the 11 months under review with Niger state leading with 468 kidnap cases, followed by Kogi state with 163; Nasarawa 79; Kwara 64; Benue 52 and Plateau 45, out of which, 153 victims were killed.
Also in the South South region, a total of 270 kidnap cases were recorded with Edo state recording 130 cases; Rivers state recorded 60 cases; Cross River state 43; Delta 31; Akwa Ibom recorded five cases and Bayelsa recorded one case, out of which, at least 81 victims were killed during the incidents.
The report further showed that the South West region recorded a total of 168 kidnap cases with Ondo state leading with 83 cases, followed by Osun state which recorded 29 cases; Lagos state recorded 15 cases; Oyo 13; Ogun 13 and Ekiti 15. Out of this figures, 29 victims of kidnap in the South West region were killed within the period under review.
The South East region, according to the report recorded a total of 159 kidnap cases with Imo state recording the highest cases of 60 incidents, followed by the neigbhouring Anambra state which recorded 55 cases while Enugu recorded 36 cases; Ebonyi five cases and Abia three cases. In the region, no fewer than 27 kidnap victims were killed within the period of 11 months.
Ironically, the report stated that the North East region of Nigeria with the dominating presence of Boko Haram insurgents, bandits and other terrorists, recorded the lowest number of kidnapping incidents.
The SBM Intelligence report showed that the North East region recorded a total of 125 cases of kidnap-related incidents within the period under review with Taraba state leading with 35 cases; Bauchi 33 cases; Borno 25; Adamawa 12; Gombe one and no kidnap incident recorded in Yobe state.
According to the report, no fewer than 63 victims from the 125 recorded kidnap-related incidents in the North East region were killed.
