Kidnappers in Nigeria collected more than $5 million in ransoms in a year, analysts say

Kidnappers in Nigeria amassed more than $5 million in ransom payments during the past year, according to a Lagos-based intelligence group. The group, SBM Intelligence, reported on Thursday that a total of $5.8 million was paid for the release of 7,825 kidnapped individuals between July 2025 and June 2026. This represents a 66% increase in kidnappings compared to the previous year.

Security analyst Kehinde Giwa stated that each ransom payment merely fuels further kidnappings. Between July 2025 and June 2026, nearly 21 kidnappings occurred daily in Nigeria. Kidnappings are prevalent across the country, with militant groups targeting schoolchildren and civilians to pressure the government and extract ransoms.

Recently, dozens of people were abducted from a mosque in northern Nigeria's Niger state. Various armed groups, referred to as bandits, frequently conduct raids and kidnappings for ransom in the northwest and north-central regions. These groups are primarily former herders who have taken up arms against farming communities due to resource shortages.

Additionally, an ongoing insurgency by Islamic militants in the northeast, which has persisted for over a decade, contributes to Nigeria's multifaceted security crisis. The U.S. and Nigeria recently established a military partnership to address the country's security challenges.