The Federal Government has launched the toll-free 112 emergency hotline for Nigerians to report kidnappings and other security threats as part of efforts to curb ransom-driven abductions.
Major General Adamu Laka, National Coordinator of the National Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC), announced this on Thursday during a press briefing on the activities of the Multi-Agency Anti-Kidnap Fusion Cell under the Office of the National Security Adviser.
“The Nigerian Communications Commission has facilitated an emergency response number, 112, Laka stated. We urge all Nigerians to report suspicious activities, crimes, and kidnappings by calling this toll-free number, along with the Multi-Agency Anti-Kidnap Fusion Cell’s designated lines that will be made public.”
Laka revealed that while Nigeria recorded a 16.3% decline in kidnapping-for-ransom incidents in 2024 compared to 2023, the number of victims increased slightly by 0.27%. The North-West states of Kaduna, Katsina, and Zamfara accounted for the highest number of cases, with 13.8% of total incidents and 61.1% of victims nationwide.
He noted that criminal groups including bandits, terrorists, cultists, militants, and secessionists continue to exploit kidnapping as a source of revenue.
“In 2024, kidnappings occurred in both rural and urban areas, targeting villages, schools, highways, and residential communities. Despite efforts to curb the menace, mass abductions persisted, forcing people to flee agrarian communities, disrupting food production, and contributing to rising food prices”, Laka said.
He stressed that ransom payments remain a key driver of the crime, as perpetrators exploit families desperation to extract large sums of money.
According to Laka, the government has deployed a mix of kinetic and non-kinetic measures to combat kidnapping, leading to the rescue of hostages, neutralization and arrest of kidnapping kingpins, and destruction of criminal hideouts.
However, he warned that kidnapping for ransom is likely to persist in 2025 due to its financial incentives. To counter this, the government plans to:
Expand counter-kidnapping efforts across all six geo-political zones.
Enhance collaboration with state governments to boost security.
Reinforce public confidence in law enforcement to discourage ransom payments.
Address economic vulnerabilities by tackling unemployment and poverty, which often drive individuals into crime.
Laka called on Nigerians to utilize the 112 emergency hotline and other designated security numbers to help authorities combat kidnapping more effectively.
