May 22, 2025
Nigeria sees sharp rise in ransom kidnappings, financial watchdog warns
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Nigeria sees sharp rise in ransom kidnappings, financial watchdog warns

Nigeria sees sharp rise in ransom kidnappings, financial watchdog warns

Nigeria has witnessed more than 735 mass abductions since 2019, signalling a dangerous surge in Kidnapping for Ransom, KFR, that now poses grave risks to both national security and economic resilience.  

The Nigeria Financial Intelligence Unit, NFIU, in a report released in Abuja on Tuesday, warns that the scale of KFR has inflicted heavy losses on businesses while exposing deep vulnerabilities within the financial system.  

Also Read: Bandits Threaten To Marry Zamfara Girls If They Fail To Settle N12 Million Ransom

The document, titled ‘Typologies of Money Laundering Through Kidnapping for Ransom in Nigeria’, calls for a coordinated national response.  

Among its recommendations are stricter Know-Your-Customer, KYC, checks, enhanced tracking of suspicious transactions, and the adoption of artificial intelligence to trace ransom-linked payments.  

The NFIU also emphasised stronger collaboration between law enforcement, regulators, and local communities.

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