Kidnapping for Ransom:
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Date
2026-01
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FUOYE Journal of Criminology and Security Studies
Abstract
Kidnapping for ransom has become one of the most prevalent and economically harmful security issues in Nigeria. What started as a politically influenced kidnapping at the beginning of the 2000s has become a nationwide criminal enterprise. This paper’s objectives were to examine the historical development, causal factors, and trends of kidnapping across all six geopolitical regions, as well as governmental interventions. The study adopted a semi-systematic review of empirical evidence, theoretical framework, and recent developments up to 2026. Using Routine Activity Theory, Strain Theory, Social Disorganization Theory, and Political Economy perspectives, the study argues that kidnapping-for-ransom is both a product and driver of broader governance and development failures. Findings revealed that a combination of socio-economic forces, such as poverty, unemployment, inequality, and ineffective capacity to enforce the law, corruption, insurgency, banditry, and proliferation of small arms has heightened the menace of kidnapping. Currently, there is a significant drift towards ransom payments through Nigerian banks and fintech platforms, indicating more penetration of formal financial systems. In addition, regional analysis revealed mass kidnappings in Northeast instigated by the insurgent, banditry associated with kidnappings in Northwest, highway kidnappings in North Central area, and organised criminal networks in the South East, South South, and South West. The paper concludes that government action measures such as military, anti-kidnapping laws, community vigilante groups, and financial control regulation have not produced much success in the long term because of structural problems and the uneven application of adopted measures. The paper recommends a holistic, multi-layered measure that would combine enhanced law enforcement capability, socio-economic reforms, improvements in cyber and financial intelligence, community engagement, and regional cooperation
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Keywords
Banditry, Insurgency, Criminal enterprise, Inequality, Proliferation of small arms