The Nigerian Senate has passed a new bill imposing a minimum 15-year jail term for anyone who pays a ransom to kidnappers, in an effort to curb the rising wave of abductions across the country. The bill also mandates the death penalty for kidnappers if their victims die in captivity, while other cases of abduction will result in life imprisonment.
Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, chairman of the judiciary, human rights, and legal committee, emphasized that outlawing ransom payments would deter criminals and help combat the growing trend of kidnappings.
A Nationwide Crisis
For over a decade, armed gangs—commonly referred to as “bandits”—have terrorized Nigeria, particularly in the northeastern and north-central regions, by abducting students, villagers, and travelers for ransom. These criminal groups have been responsible for thousands of deaths and a growing climate of fear.
Despite President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration classifying these kidnappers as terrorists, abductions remain a near-daily occurrence.
Between December 2020 and March 2021, over 760 students were kidnapped in at least five separate attacks on boarding schools in northern Nigeria. One of the most infamous incidents was the 2020 abduction of over 300 boys from their school in Kankara, Katsina State, reminiscent of the 2014 Chibok schoolgirls’ kidnapping by Boko Haram, which sparked global outrage.
While the Kankara boys were released after six days, the Nigerian government denied paying any ransom to secure their freedom. However, reports suggest ransom payments are a key factor driving the kidnapping industry.
The Cost of Kidnapping in Nigeria
A report by SBM Intelligence, a Lagos-based risk analysis firm, estimates that at least $18.34 million was paid in ransoms between 2011 and 2020—with the majority of payments coming from victims’ families and, in some cases, the government.
The new Senate bill will now move to the House of Representatives for debate before being sent to the President for final approval. If signed into law, it could mark a major shift in Nigeria’s strategy against organized kidnapping and ransom-based crimes.
