North-West leads in crime rate with 14,402,254

From Isaac Anumihe, Abuja

Out of a total 51,887,032 crime incidences across the country, North -West reported the highest crime rate with 14,402,254 followed by North-Central 8,771,400), while South-East (6,176,031) reported the least.

This is in accordance with the Crime Experience and Security Perception Survey (CESPS),conducted by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) between May 2023 and April 2024.

The result also shows that the crime incidence in the rural area,26,526,069 was higher than that of the urban area,25,360,963.

In Nigeria, 4,142,174 households experienced home robbery. Less than half 36.3 per cent of the households who were victims of home robbery reported their experience to the police.

Among households that experienced kidnapping incidents, 65.0 percent paid a ransom. The average amount paid as ransom was ₦2,670,693, with an estimated total ransom of ₦2,231,772,563,507 paid within the reference period.

According to the study, NBS said that the most common reasons for not reporting crimes include lack of confidence in law enforcement and the belief that police intervention would not result in meaningful action.

Also, at the individual level, 21.4 per cent of Nigerians reported being victims of crime, and the most common crime was phone theft 13.8 percent. About 90 percent of the victims of phone thefts reported to the police, and only 50 percent of the victims expressed satisfaction with police responses.

Meanwhile, the bureau said that   an estimated 1.4 million experienced sexual offences, which occurred mostly in someone else’s home 27.7 percent followed by the victim’s home,22.2 percent. Sexual offences are less likely to occur at a public transport station,0.9 per cent, and only 22.7 per cent of victims reported to the police, NBS, said.

The CESPS  provides an in-depth understanding into the situation of crime in Nigeria. It is a household-based survey, and the target population comprises household members 15 years and older. The survey was carried out to produce estimates at national and zonal levels covering both urban and rural areas for a twelve-month reference period,May 2023 to April 2024. The findings provide crucial insights for security agencies, stakeholders, and policymakers to improve public safety and align with the Sustainable Development Goals1.