Nigeria kidnappers collect nearly $6 million as ransom for 2025 - Report tok

Nigerians pay one faction of Boko Haram terrorist group, Jama'atu Ahlis Sunna Lidda'awati Wal-Jihad (JAS) ₦7 billion ($5.6 million) as ransom for kidnap for 2025.

According to SBM Intelligence report, Nigerian kidnappers collect nearly ₦7.7 ($6 ​million) in ransom payments from di civilians dem abduct.

Di report say Boko Haram collect 90% of di total money wey kidnappers collect as ransom, from just two mass abduction wia dem gbab ova 700 pipo for Niger and Borno states for 2025.

"JAS faction and dia allied group account for ₦7 billion from di ₦7.7 billion wey dem pay around di kontri, dat na 90% of all di ransom wey dem collect for Nigeria dis year, from just small number of incidents," di report tok.

"Two abductions carry most of di weight: For April 2026, one faction wey dey operate under commander Ali Ngulde abduct 416 pipo for Ngoshe for Gwoza, Borno, and dem give dem 72-hour ultimatum to pay ₦5 billion; dem pay di full N5 billion, dis na di largest single ransom in di dataset and di largest dis report don ever record."

"Months earlier, for November 2025, gunmen carry 315 children and staff from St Mary's School for Papiri, Niger State, one of di worst mass abductions for di kontri history; multiple intelligence sources tok say dem collect ova ₦2 billion. Togeda, dis two incidents account for ₦7 billion of di entire national ransom."

SBM report tok say di kidnappers demand ₦22.9 billion and Nigerians pay ₦7.7 billion in ransom, but di amount don triple compare to 2024, wia Nigerians pay ₦2.56 billion from ₦48 billion wey dem demand.

Bandits and oda criminal gangs demand for ₦13.5 billion but collect just ₦719 million. Boko Haram (JAS) demand ₦9.2 billion and dem receive ₦7 billion.

Di report tok say payment of ransom no even guarantee victims safety as kidnappers bin kill some of di victims, and for some cases demand for oda material tins as ransom instead of cash.

"Payment no guarantee survival. For at least six cases, victims die afta dem pay di ransom. Sometimes dem dey kidnap ransom-bearers demsefs. Inside 14 incidents, kidnappers demand goods, motorcycles, phones, food and fuel, dis show say dem dey adjust to di thin cash resources wey dia victims get," SBM tok.

SBM tok say dem gada dia figures from media reports, interviews and publicly available data, but di figures still fit dey low as di discussion around ransom na coded.

SBM allege say dem kidnap 7,825 pipo across Nigeria for 2025 - 66% increase from 2024. and about 1,142 pipo die.

According to SBM about Northwest dey lead in di number of kidnap incidents, victims and deaths. Zamfara record 236 kidnapping incidents, 92 mass abductions and 1,921 victims, about one quarter of di national total.

Katsina record 187 kidnapping incidents, wit 559 kidnapped victims while Sokoto record 179 kidnap incidents wit 76 mass abduction cases, majorly school abductions

North region account for 93.7% of all di pipo wey dem kidnap, while di South record just 6.3% incidents.

Recent mass abductions in Nigeria schools

Since 2009, Boko Haram don bomb, kill, attack and abduct several pipo across Nigeria wit multiple factions wey dey help dem carry out dis grievous crime against hmanity.

Boko Haram dey stand against western education, and dem target schools, villages, churches and govment offices.

One of di mass abduction by Boko Haram na di 2014 kidnap incident wey happun for Borno, wia dem kidnap 276 Chibok schoolgirls, between di ages of 16-18, from dia school.

Anoda faction of Boko Haram, Ansaru and Sadiku kidnap school children and staff from Oyo schools in 2026, dem later rescue di school children afta dem don spend days in capitivity.

In November 2025, dem kidnap some school children from Government Girls Comprehensive secondary school and anoda kidnap incident happun more dan 250 students of St Mary's Catholic School, from Niger state.

Although, evidence no dey weda Nigeria govment pay ransom for di release of dis kidnap victim as ransom payments dey illegal for Nigeria, and you fit chop15 years for jail sentence, in accordance to di Nigeria constitution.

As Nigeria 2027 election dey near security na major concerns for many Nigerians and di current adminstration don promise Nigerians say dem go secure lives and properties.

However, president Bola Tinubu don direct di Nigeria army and oda security agencies make dem launch coordinated rescue operation immediately for di victims of di recent mass abduction in Niger State.

Di president tok say im admistration go defend, protect communities and uphold di sanctity of human life.

"Terror no go shake Nigeria. We go defend our pipo, protect our communities, and uphold di sanctity of human life," Tinubu tok.