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Scope of the Crisis
• Since 2019, at least 735 mass kidnappings (five or more victims) have occurred, affecting over 15,398 people.
• In early 2024 alone, there were 68 mass abductions, many involving students from rural boarding schools.
• Notable incidents include the Kuriga kidnapping in Kaduna State on 7 March 2024, where approximately 287 students were abducted during an assembly.
• Regions most affected include North West and North East, especially Kaduna, Zamfara, and Katsina.
Drivers Behind the Kidnappings
1. Economic Incentives
• Worsening poverty, unemployment, and inflation have turned kidnapping into a profitable enterprise. Ransoms often reach millions of naira—and even thousands of dollars for wealthier targets.
• Between 2022 and 2023, government and families reportedly paid over ₦5 billion (~$3.9M) in ransom across 582 cases.
2. Weak Security Infrastructure
• Nigeria’s centralized security apparatus lacks rapid response and effective coordination between military and police. Low pay, poor equipment, and corruption exacerbate the collapse of trust with communities .
• Only about 37% of schools in assessed states have early warning systems in place; few have safe infrastructure or trained staff to manage threats .
3. Actor Diversity
• Kidnappings are conducted by criminal “bandits,” urban gang networks, and extremist groups such as Boko Haram, ISWAP, and AN SARU.
• Terrorist factions often abduct to spread terror or force policy change; bandit groups are more profit-motivated .
4. Geographic Shifts
• Originally rooted in rural areas, kidnappers are now operating in semi‑urban and urban zones—including near Abuja—as traditional targets become scarce .
Social & Economic Impacts
• Mass abductions have forced the closure of over 11,500 schools since December 2020, disrupting education for millions of children .
• The abandonment of farms due to insecurity has worsened food production and driven up prices in affected rural communities .
• Families endure debilitating losses—selling assets or borrowing to pay ransoms, while fear undermines confidence in public safety .
Government Response & Challenges
• The Safe Schools Initiative launched after the 2014 Chibok kidnapping aimed to secure schools, but it never expanded to North West and many targets remain unprotected .
• Some states have pursued amnesty or negotiation deals with bandits, but these are often criticized for rewarding criminality and lacking transparency
Attached is a news article regarding Nigeria kidnapping problem
Article written and configured by Christopher Stanley
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