{
  "id": 3749895,
  "title": "Kidnappers in Nigeria collected more than $5 million in ransoms in a year, analysts say",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/27/kidnappers-in-nigeria-collected-more-than-5-million-in-ransoms-in-a-3749895",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-08-27T13:53:01.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Associated Press",
    "slug": "associated-press",
    "url": "https://apnews.com/article/nigeria-kidnapping-ransom-payments-21864d5271c092a6d13a1b6eda10044e"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Kidnappers in Nigeria amassed over $5 million in ransom payments over the past year, a Lagos-based intelligence group reported on Thursday, amid a complex security crisis. Kehinde Giwa, a security analyst at SBM Intelligence, argued that every ransom paid fuels further kidnappings. SBM Intelligence disclosed in a report on Wednesday that $5.8 million was paid for 7,825 kidnappings between July 2025 and June 2026, marking a 66% rise from the previous year. Abductions are frequent in Nigeria, where militant groups target schoolchildren and civilians to coerce the government and secure ransoms. Recently, dozens were abducted from a mosque in northern Nigeria's Niger state. Bandit groups, often former herders, frequently launch raids and kidnappings for ransom in the northwest and north-central regions. These groups include former herders who have taken up arms against farming communities due to resource shortages. An Islamic militant insurgency has plagued Nigeria’s northeast for over a decade. Giwa from SBM Intelligence lamented that \"Nigeria is not winning the war\" as over 21 kidnappings occur daily.",
  "summary": "ABUJA, Nigeria (AP) — Kidnappers in Nigeria collected more than $5 million in ransom payments over the last year, a Lagos-based intelligence group said Thursday, as…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Winnipeg Free Press",
        "title": "Kidnappers in Nigeria collected more than $5 million in ransoms in a year, analysts say",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/27/kidnappers-in-nigeria-collected-more-than-5-million-in-ransoms-in-a",
        "published": "2026-08-27T13:37:06.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}