Over 250 South-East Residents Abducted Between Last December And January As Kidnappers Rake In Millions Of Naira

Over 250 South-East Residents Abducted Between Last December And January As Kidnappers Rake In Millions Of Naira

This article highlights the grim security situation in Nigeria’s South-East region, focusing on the activities of non-state actors such as kidnappers and the alleged extortion practices of military and police forces. According to a report from the International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law (Intersociety), between December 2024 and January 2025, the region experienced a devastating wave of violence, including kidnappings, killings, and widespread corruption.

During this period, at least 250 residents of the South-East were abducted by criminal groups, and an estimated N600 million was raked in by these kidnappers between December 28, 2024, and January 18, 2025. Over the two-month period under review, 240 people were reported killed, with 140 of them killed by armed non-state actors, and 100 others by security forces, including the military and police, as well as vigilante groups. The report also details how these non-state actors were able to demand and receive ransoms from families who had loved ones abducted, leading to millions of naira being transferred into the hands of criminals.

The report further reveals that military personnel and police forces have been involved in widespread corruption, pocketing billions of naira from extortion at various roadblocks and military barracks across the region. Between December 1, 2024, and January 31, 2025, an estimated N21.8 billion was illegally obtained through extortion by military and police officers. The military alone seized approximately N6.8 billion, with military checkpoints in Anambra State, such as the Uga Junction and Atani Road Naval checkpoints, being among the most notorious for extortion. The daily extortion at these checkpoints is reported to amount to millions of naira, with figures as high as N60 million recorded for the period under review.

Intersociety’s investigation into these extortions uncovered that police roadblocks and patrol teams were also heavily involved in similar corrupt practices. The report indicates that the Nigeria Police Force pocketed an estimated N15 billion through both direct and indirect extortion, including fees from arrest, detention, and criminal investigations, as well as bail fees and other forms of monetized corruption. States such as Imo, Anambra, Abia, Enugu, and Ebonyi were cited as having the highest numbers of police roadblocks, where officers were routinely involved in collecting these illicit payments.

Notably, the report stresses that police roadblocks are prohibited in Nigeria under the Criminal Code Act of 2004 and the Penal Code Act of 2004, yet they continue to thrive in the South-East region. It also highlights that these extortions and acts of violence undermine the rule of law, often without any legal repercussions for the perpetrators. Furthermore, the report criticizes the Nigerian military and police for carrying out extrajudicial killings, with many deaths attributed to unaccountable actions by state actors, including extrajudicial executions carried out by military personnel outside of the law.

The situation has led to widespread fear and suffering among South-East residents, who face the daily threat of violence, extortion, and abduction. The report paints a grim picture of a region where non-state actors and state security forces alike are implicated in grave human rights abuses, raising serious questions about the effectiveness of law enforcement and the government’s ability to maintain control over the region.

This revelation adds to the growing concerns about insecurity and the erosion of trust in law enforcement agencies in the region. Despite the government’s stated commitment to combatting insecurity, these findings suggest that much remains to be done to address the underlying issues of corruption, impunity, and the unchecked power of both criminal groups and security forces in the South-East.

EXCERPT

Over 250 South-East Residents Abducted Between Last December And January As Kidnappers Rake In Millions Of Naira – Report
Over 250 South-East Residents Abducted Between Last December And January As Kidnappers Rake In Millions Of Naira – Report
February 6, 2025
News
According to the report, “Police and military seized at gunpoint and criminally pocketed billions of naira from South-East roadblock and barracks’ extortions in two months: December 2024 and January 2025.”

No fewer than 200 people were killed while at least 250 others were abducted by non-state actors across the South-East region of Nigeria between December 2024 and January 2025, according to a report by the International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law (Intersociety).

The report which gave a breakdown of the killings and kidnappings across the states in the South-East region within the two months, noted that while kidnappers raked in millions of Naira from their victims, the Nigeria Police Force and the Nigerian Military also continued their extortions from residents of the region at various roadblocks.

According to the report, “Police and military seized at gunpoint and criminally pocketed billions of naira from South-East roadblock and barracks’ extortions in two months: December 2024 and January 2025.”

It stated that Uga Junction and Atani Road Naval checkpoints in Anambra State are most ‘lucrative’ spots in South-East.

The report stated, “Kidnappers seized N600million from defenceless abductees in 20 days: Dec 28-Jan 18 and N1.2billion in two months: Dec 2024-Jan 2025.

“240 defenceless citizens were killed in two months, with 140 killed by armed non-state actors and 100 others killed outside the law by military, police and killer-vigilantes.

“270 defenceless Southeasterners were abducted in two months, with 160 abducted by armed non-state actors and 110 others held outside the law and facing permanent disappearance by the military, police and killer-vigilantes.”

According to the report, “Nigerian military criminally pocketed N6.8 billion in two months between December and January 2025.”

It further stated, “The deployed personnel of the Nigerian Armed Forces and the Nigeria Police Force and their High Commands in the South-East are responsible for seizing under gunpoint not less than N21.8 billion from motorists, other road users and those who came in contacts with them in their barracks between December 1, 2024, and Jan 31, 2025.

“The sum represented “criminal billions” drawn from direct and indirect roadblock and “barracks extortions”; numbering over twenty sources and seized from members of the civilian population with legitimate means of livelihood who were extorted while preparing or returning for 2024 Christmas and 2025 New Year holidays or extorted while heading back to their bases after the holidays.”

According to Intersociety, “The findings were derived from detailed research and investigation and their findings contained in the Intersociety’s December 22, 2024 – Special International Report: ‘Ocean Of Innocent Blood Flowing In Eastern Nigeria.’”

The report noted that the deployed security forces and their high commands were found to have mindlessly perpetrated the trio of armed state actors conduct-atrocities in the region including abductions, unlawful killings and corrupt practices of alarming proportion.

“According to patterns and trends of these extortions studied by the Report, there are presently at least 300 direct military roadblocks, and 500 patrol teams or indirect roadblocks mounted on South-East roads-with 98% of them engaging in direct and indirect roadblocks extortions using publicly procured assault rifles and their ammunitions and patrol vans.

“These extortions and allied corrupt practices by military personnel are contrary to Section 108 of the Armed Forces Act of 2004 which prescribes fourteen years jail for any military personnel found involved in the offense of extortion,” the report stated.
The Report further stated that it found that average of N100,000 is illicitly pocketed daily at each of the military roadblocks, translating to N80 million daily from 800 military roadblocks and patrol teams in the South-East or N2.4 billion per month and N4.8 billion in the past two months under review.

“Addition of N2 billion was included and estimated to have arisen from “direct and indirect barracks extortions” and allied others-totaling N6.8 billion, seized at gunpoint and illicitly pocketed from South-East motorists and allied others including those that encountered the military personnel in the past two months of December 2024 and January 2025.

“Further discovered were not less than ten sources of indirect military extortion in the South-East, with a clear case in point being patterns and trends of the corrupt practices of the officers and personnel of the Ogbaru Base of the Nigerian Navy at Onitsha and Ogbaru – the most lucrative military roadblock in the South-East; to the extent that not less than N1m is seized at gunpoint and criminally pocketed daily; translating to at least N60m in the past two months of December 2024 and January 2025 by the Uga Junction Main Naval Checkpoint and three others located along Atani Road and Harbor Industrial Layout in Ogbaru, Anambra State,” according to the report.

It stated that in the past two months under review, the deployed officers and personnel of the Nigeria Police Force and their high commands manning estimated 2,500 direct roadblocks and patrol teams or indirect roadblocks on South-East roads and allied others were found to have been responsible for seizing at gunpoint and criminally pocketing not less than N15 billion from motorists, other road users and those that encountered the police authorities at their barracks.

The report stated that Imo State ranked first with the highest number of police roadblocks and patrol teams numbering 700 and accounted for N2.94 billion, adding that this was on a daily average of N49 million (N70,000 per police roadblock), N1.47 billion monthly and N2.94 billion in the past two months.

The report stated, “Anambra State, which presently maintains second largest police roadblocks and patrol teams in the region with estimated 600, N42 million was criminally pocketed daily, N1.26 billion monthly and N2.52 billion in the past two months of December 2024 and January 2025.

“In Abia State with third largest police roadblocks and patrol teams of estimated 500 in the Region, N35 million was criminally pocketed daily, N1.05 billion monthly and N2.1 billion in the past two months of December 2024 and January 2025.

“In Enugu State with fourth largest police roadblocks and patrol teams of 400 in the Region, N28 million was criminally pocketed daily, N840 million monthly and N1.68 billion in the past two months of December 2024 and January 2025.

“Ebonyi State with fifth largest police roadblocks in the Region of 300 police roadblocks and patrol teams, N21 million was pocketed daily, N630 million monthly and N1.26 billion in two months of December and January 2025.

“Addition of estimated N3.5 billion was made, representing ‘criminal billions’ seized at gunpoint from those that encountered police authorities at police barracks including “bail fees” and monetization and commercialization of arrest, detention and criminal investigations as well as N1 billion added as “dark figures of crimes”; totaling estimated N15 billion; or N10.5 billion arising from direct and indirect roadblock extortions plus N3.5 billion arising from “Police Barracks Extortions” and N1 billion arising from “dark figures of police corruption proceeds”; totaling N15 billion.”

It stressed that is despite that police roadblock in Nigeria, particularly in the South-East is prohibited and criminalized by Section 99 of the Criminal Code Act of 2004 and Section 408 of the Penal Code Act of 2004; both of which prescribe jail terms of three to seven years, and three to fourteen years respectively.

The report further noted, “Estimated N600 million was seized at gunpoint from 2024 Christmas and January 2025 New Year holiday makers or returnees by armed non-state actors operating with assault rifles and criminal digital devices in Anambra, Imo, Enugu and others.

“The seizure of the estimated N600 million by armed criminal syndicates affected more than 100 victims forced at gunpoint to pay the ransoms demanded, which heightened between December 28, 2024, and January 18, 2025; a period marking the peak of the two festivities during which members of many South-East families returned home for post-Christmas and New Year activities including burials, funerals, marriage ceremonies, town union meetings, etc.

“The Intersociety had found in its Special International Report of December 22, 2024 that over 90% of civilian killings linked to the Nigerian Military were carried out outside the law and due process which amount to extra jus, extralegal and extrajudicial executions.”