Prof. Aremu Warns Nigeria Faces Escalating Insecurity As 2.2 Million Kidnappings And ₦2.2 Trillion Ransom Economy Emerge

Prof. Aremu Warns Nigeria Faces Escalating Insecurity as 2.2 Million Kidnappings and ₦2.2 Trillion Ransom Economy Emerge A security expert, Prof. Oyesoji Aremu, has warned that Nigeria is facing a deepening insecurity crisis, citing alarming figures of about 2.2 million kidnapping incidents and an estimated ₦2.2 trillion paid as ransom within a single year, describing the situation as evidence of a growing “ransom economy” in the country. Prof. Aremu disclosed this while delivering a public lecture organised by the Social Sciences Students’ Association SOSSA at Adekunle Ajasin University, Ondo State, where he reviewed Nigeria’s security challenges and its global security rankings. He said the data—attributed to the National Bureau of Statistics—shows that kidnapping has evolved into a structured criminal enterprise involving bandit groups, insurgents, and organised criminal networks operating across different regions of Nigeria.According to the report, millions of victims were abducted within the period under review, with a significant portion of households forced to pay ransom to secure the release of their loved ones, further strengthening criminal networks.Aremu warned that kidnapping in Nigeria has gone beyond isolated criminal activity and has now become a financially driven system sustained by repeated ransom payments. He explained that this “ransom economy” is being fuelled by poverty, unemployment, insecurity in rural communities, and weak enforcement capacity, making kidnapping a profitable and expanding industry across the country. Security analysts have similarly described kidnapping for ransom as one of the fastest growing criminal economies in Nigeria, with operations spreading across virtually all regions. The professor also referenced Nigeria’s poor performance in global security and governance indices, noting that the country’s security situation reflects a broader breakdown in law enforcement effectiveness and state control in several areas. He said Nigeria’s worsening insecurity has far-reaching consequences, including reduced investor confidence, displacement of communities, and disruption of agricultural and economic activities. Prof. Aremu warned that the human cost of kidnappings includes psychological trauma, loss of livelihoods, and increased poverty levels, as families are often forced to sell assets or take loans to pay ransom. He added that insecurity has also disrupted education, agriculture, and transport systems, particularly in regions heavily affected by banditry and insurgency. To address the crisis, the professor called for stronger intelligence coordination, improved inter-agency collaboration, and the adoption of more proactive security strategies. He also emphasised the need for tackling root causes such as poverty, unemployment, and social inequality, which continue to fuel recruitment into criminal networks. In his view, without urgent and coordinated intervention, Nigeria risks further entrenchment of kidnapping as a permanent criminal industry.