… Zamfara, Kaduna, Niger records highest casualties
By Chinelo Obogo
About 3,495 Nigerians have been kidnapped in 11 months between July 2022 and June 2023.
In a report by SBM Intelligence, a research company, the figures represent cases that were reported in the media from last year July to June 2023.
The north west recorded the highest number of kidnap cases, with Zamfara, recording 765 cases, Kaduna, 690 cases, Katsina, 241, Sokoto, 176, , Kebbi 39, Kano, 6 and Jigawa, 4.
In the north central, Niger had the highest rate with 468 cases, Kogi, 163, Nasarawa, 79, Kwara, 64, Benue 52 and Plateau, 45.
The zone with the third highest rate is the South South, with Edo recording 130 cases, Rivers 60, Cross Rivers, 43, Delta, 31, Akwa Ibom, five and Bayelsa, one. This is followed closely by the South West, with Ondo recording 83 cases, Osun, 29, Lagos, 15, Oyo, 13, Ogun, 13 and Ekiti 15.
In the South East, Anambra has the highest casualties with Imo recording 60 cases, Anambra, 55, Enugu, 36, Ebonyi, 5 and Abia, 3. The zone with the least casualties is the north east, with Taraba recording, 35 cases, Bauchi, 33, Borno, 25, Adamawa, 12, Gombe, 1 and none in Yobe.