started · updated
Nigeria kidnapping ransoms reach 7.78 billion naira
A report by SBM Intelligence reveals that kidnapping for ransom has become a highly lucrative industry in Nigeria. Between July 2025 and June 2026, criminal groups collected at least 7.78 billion naira (approximately $5.8 million) in ransom payments, a figure that has nearly tripled compared to the previous year.
During this twelve-month period, 7,825 people were abducted, representing a 66 percent increase from the prior year. The violence has resulted in at least 1,142 deaths, including 895 civilians. The study notes that these figures may be conservative because many ransom payments are not publicly disclosed due to their illegal status in the country.
Geographically, the Northwest has seen the highest volume of abductions. In the Northeast, Boko Haram is responsible for nearly 90 percent of the recorded ransom payments, driven largely by two mass kidnapping events. The surge in abductions, which frequently target schools and villages, continues to strain security forces and destabilize local communities.
Entities
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.
- [● 4 SOURCES] Ransom payments nearly tripled compared to the 2.56 billion naira paid during the same period the previous year. www.nasuba.info · www.aljazeera.net · thevoicenewsmagazine.com · www.ajnet.me
- [● 4 SOURCES] Kidnappers in Nigeria collected at least 7.78 billion naira (approximately $5.8 million) in ransoms between July 2025 and June 2026. www.nasuba.info · www.aljazeera.net · thevoicenewsmagazine.com · www.ajnet.me
- [● 4 SOURCES] The highest number of abductions and affected individuals was recorded in Northwest Nigeria. www.nasuba.info · www.aljazeera.net · thevoicenewsmagazine.com · www.ajnet.me
- [● 4 SOURCES] At least 1,142 people were killed during this period, including 895 civilians. www.nasuba.info · www.aljazeera.net · thevoicenewsmagazine.com · www.ajnet.me
- [● 4 SOURCES] Boko Haram accounted for nearly 90 percent of ransoms paid in Northeast Nigeria. www.nasuba.info · www.aljazeera.net · thevoicenewsmagazine.com · www.ajnet.me
- [● 4 SOURCES] The number of people abducted rose by 66 percent compared to the previous twelve-month period, totaling 7,825 people. www.nasuba.info · www.aljazeera.net · thevoicenewsmagazine.com · www.ajnet.me