By contrast, the entire diffuse population of bandits and unaffiliated kidnappers, responsible for 146 separate cases, collected only ₦719.4 million between them, or 9.2% of the national total.
A single faction of Boko Haram collected 90% of all ransom money paid to kidnappers across Nigeria between July 2025 and June 2026, according to a new report by SBM Intelligence, in a finding that suggests the country's kidnap-for-ransom crisis has been effectively captured by a designated terrorist organisation.
The report, titled The Capture of Nigeria's Kidnap Economy, found that of ₦7.779 billion ($5.78 million) paid in ransom nationwide during the period, the Jama'atu Ahlis Sunna Lidda'awati Wal-Jihad (JAS) faction of Boko Haram and its allied cells took ₦7.0015 billion from just eight recorded incidents.
"Attributing each ransom to the actor named in its reporting, the JAS faction and its allied cells account for N7.0 billion of the N7.779 billion paid around the country, a staggering 90% of all ransom collected in Nigeria this year, from just a handful of incidents," the report stated.
By contrast, the entire diffuse population of bandits and unaffiliated kidnappers, responsible for 146 separate cases, collected only ₦719.4 million between them, or 9.2% of the national total.
