The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) has found itself in the eye of a storm following its controversial report claiming that bandits in Nigeria collected ₦2.23 trillion in ransom payments within a single year. The staggering figure, equivalent to nearly half of Nigeria’s 2024 budget, has raised eyebrows and cast doubt on the bureau’s credibility.
According to the NBS, the estimate was derived from a household survey—a method critics argue is unreliable, given the secretive nature of ransom payments. Kidnappings in Nigeria are often shrouded in silence, with victims’ families warned against involving authorities. Payments are typically made in cash, in remote areas, and under duress, leaving little to no paper trail.
“Such data should require cooperation from law enforcement agencies like the Police, DSS, and NSCDC,” a security analyst noted. “How the NBS arrived at this figure without transparent data collection is baffling.”
Public outrage has been swift, with many questioning whether the report is based on speculation rather than evidence. Skeptics joked that the next headline might claim bandits collected an additional ₦10 billion just by watching a viral video.
As calls for an explanation mount, experts and citizens alike are demanding accountability and a review of the methodology used for such sensitive statistics. The credibility of Nigeria’s top data body now hangs in the balance.
Source: @ZagazOlaMakama
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