The Federal Government has warned that kidnapping, once regarded as an opportunistic crime, has evolved into a major source of financing for terrorist and criminal groups in Nigeria.
Speaking at a stakeholders’ workshop of the Multi-Agency Kidnap Fusion Cell in Abuja on Wednesday, National Coordinator of the National Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC), Maj. Gen. Adamu Laka, said ransom proceeds are being used to acquire weapons, sustain terror operations, and in some cases, establish territorial control.
“What was once an opportunistic crime has become a persistent and destabilising enterprise, enabling these groups to procure logistics, perpetuate terror, and exert territorial control,” Laka stated.
He explained that the Fusion Cell, established in December 2024 through collaboration between Nigeria and the United Kingdom, coordinates counterterrorism and anti-kidnap operations nationwide. Since its inception, the Cell has generated actionable intelligence leading to hostage rescues and the disruption of kidnapping syndicates.
To strengthen state-level responses, the NCTC expanded its programme in July 2025 to train Anti-Kidnap Commanders of the Nigeria Police Force and Department of State Services across all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.
Despite successes, Laka stressed the need to involve additional stakeholders such as media organisations, telecom operators, and social media platforms in the anti-kidnap framework. He urged participants to propose practical solutions to support ongoing rescue operations and dismantle kidnapping networks.
The Acting British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Gill Lever, commended the Cell’s achievements and pledged continued UK support. Similarly, Head of the UK’s National Crime Agency, Chris Gibson, emphasised that collaboration among critical stakeholders is vital to sustaining progress.
Kidnapping has become one of Nigeria’s most pervasive security threats, prompting the government to intensify multi-agency efforts to combat the menace.
