Financial Times Report Exposes Alarming Growth Of Kidnapping Industry As Nigerians Lose Faith In Law Enforcement [VIDEO]

 

A new investigation by the Financial Times has exposed the terrifying spread of kidnapping across Nigeria, revealing how the crime has ballooned into a multi-billion-naira enterprise that cuts across every social class. Published on October 23, 2025, the report by British journalist Aanu Adeoye outlines a bleak reality in which citizens, regardless of wealth or status, are forced to navigate a country where abductions have become a part of daily life.

Aanu Adeoye’s detailed report draws on eyewitness testimonies, security data, and expert analysis to describe how kidnapping has evolved into one of the fastest-growing criminal ventures in Africa’s largest economy. From remote villages in the north to bustling southern cities, the Financial Times found that few regions are spared from the menace. The findings depict a nation where citizens are caught between rising criminality and a police force unable to offer protection.

Figures cited from SBM Intelligence show that kidnappers demanded nearly 1.7 million dollars in ransom within just one year, ending in June 2025. Yet the report adds that this figure likely represents only a fraction of the real total, as countless families secretly pay ransoms to avoid drawing attention or becoming targets again. According to security analysts, the hidden nature of these transactions has allowed the crime to thrive unchecked, turning abduction into one of Nigeria’s most profitable illicit industries.

Analysts interviewed by the paper traced the roots of the crisis to the Niger Delta militancy era of the late 1990s and 2000s. During that period, armed groups regularly seized foreign oil workers to pressure multinational companies and the government into paying ransoms. Over time, the practice spread beyond the oil-rich region and transformed into a national epidemic. Today, victims include farmers, students, traders, civil servants, and even children walking to school.

Security expert Confidence MacHarry of SBM Intelligence told the Financial Times that the distinction between high-risk and low-risk targets has faded. “At this stage, it is hard to argue that only rich Nigerians are in danger,” he said. “Kidnapping has become a free-for-all that affects even the poorest citizens.”

The report sheds light on the growing desperation of Nigeria’s wealthy elite, many of whom now rely on armed police escorts and private security outfits for personal protection. According to the Financial Times, some of the country’s richest individuals retain up to 20 police officers to safeguard themselves and their families. This arrangement leaves fewer officers available for public policing, worsening insecurity for ordinary Nigerians.

A former state governor quoted in the article lamented the total breakdown of official law enforcement. “You have a situation where the police are effectively privatized,” he said. “A minister or governor might have dozens of officers guarding him while communities have none. That is what happens when a system collapses and public welfare is ignored.”

Current statistics paint an alarming picture. Nigeria has roughly 370,000 active police officers for an estimated population of over 220 million. The United Nations recommends one officer per 450 people, meaning Nigeria would require at least 490,000 more officers to meet basic standards. With poor pay, inadequate training, and lack of equipment, many police officers prefer to serve wealthy patrons instead of remaining in public duty, further eroding citizens’ confidence in law enforcement.

The Financial Times concludes that kidnapping has become a grim part of Nigerian life, describing a country where “the richest have wealth but no peace of mind, while the middle class and the poor live in constant fear.” For many Nigerians, the risk of abduction has become as common a concern as inflation or unemployment, adding yet another layer of hardship to daily existence.

Although the report did not explicitly mention President Bola Tinubu, it aligns with growing international concern about worsening security under his administration. Since taking office in May 2023, Tinubu has faced mounting criticism over rising violence, economic hardship, and growing public disillusionment. The situation has prompted calls from civil society groups and international observers urging urgent reforms to restore faith in the country’s security institutions.

For millions of Nigerians, the Financial Times report merely confirms what they already live with every day. Streets empty out earlier at night, rural roads have become dangerous, and families keep emergency funds for potential ransom demands. What once seemed like isolated criminal acts has now matured into a structured business, thriving on fear, poverty, and government inaction.

The report serves as a chilling reminder of how far the crisis has spread and how little protection remains for ordinary citizens. Unless decisive steps are taken to rebuild public trust and reform the police system, analysts warn that Nigeria’s kidnapping economy will only continue to grow, deepening the cycle of insecurity that has already consumed the nation.