N7.8 Billion Ransom Collected by Kidnappers in One Year as Mass Abductions Rise

A new report reveals that kidnappers operating across Nigeria collected nearly 7.8 billion naira in ransom payments between July 2025 and June 2026. This collected sum represents 34 percent of the total 22.9 billion naira that was demanded by abductors throughout the same period. The percentage of ransom successfully collected marks a sharp increase compared to the previous year, during which kidnappers secured just 5.35 percent of their total financial demands.

Although the total amount demanded between July 2025 and June 2026 was lower than the overall figure demanded during the prior year, the report notes that this difference occurred because a single, extraordinary demand of 30 billion naira stemming from the abduction of the Enuma sisters had significantly inflated the previous year’s figures.

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The financial data for the 2026 period was driven less by isolated, high-value abductions and more by mass hostage-taking incidents that involved criminal groups possessing significant leverage to secure payments.

Mass Abductions and Key Perpetrators

The JAS faction and its allied operational cells accounted for approximately 7 billion naira of the total ransom paid across the nation, representing roughly 90 percent of all ransom collected during the one-year period. Two major mass abductions accounted for the vast majority of this total sum:

• April 2026 Ngoshe Abduction: In April 2026, a faction operating under commander Ali Ngulde abducted 416 people from Ngoshe in Gwoza, Borno State, and demanded 5 billion naira. The entire amount was reportedly paid, making it the largest single ransom recorded.
• November 2025 Niger State School Abduction: Earlier in November 2025, gunmen abducted 315 children and staff from a school in Niger State. Multiple intelligence sources put the ransom paid for their release at 2 billion naira.

These two incidents alone accounted for 7 billion naira, or nearly the entire national ransom payment for the year. This development shows a significant escalation in terrorist organisations becoming major players in Nigeria’s kidnapping economy.

Meanwhile, unaffiliated kidnappers accounted for 719.4 million naira, roughly 9 percent of the total. ISWAP accounted for 53 million naira of the total ransom payments collected.

State-Level Breakdown of Demands and Collections

At the state level, Kwara recorded the highest ransom demand with 7.375 billion naira, representing 32.3 percent of the national total. Borno followed with 5.698 billion naira in demands.

However, when actual payments were considered, Borno topped the list with 5.0545 billion naira collected, representing about 65 percent of the national total. Niger followed with 2 billion naira.

Five states accounted for 95.8 percent of all ransom reportedly collected, showing how a few major mass abductions drive the national figures.

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In contrast, some states recorded minimal ransom payments. The smallest recorded payments included:

• Cross River: 70,000 naira
• Bauchi: 100,000 naira
• Ebonyi: 500,000 naira

Such small payments could reflect token settlements or hostage releases supplemented with supplies instead of cash.