The Coalition of Northern Groups (CNG) has criticized the recent figures published by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), which revealed that Nigerians paid N2.23 trillion in ransom between May 2023 and April 2024.
Additionally, the NBS reported approximately 51.89 million crime incidents across households in Nigeria during that timeframe.
In a statement from Comrade Jamilu Aliyu Charanchi, the National Coordinator of CNG, the group argued that the report misrepresents the North, portraying it as a region overwhelmed by security issues.
“We firmly reject the report and its conclusions, deeming them flawed, baseless, and entirely fabricated, failing to accurately reflect the realities in the North and Nigeria as a whole,” the statement asserted.
The CNG criticized the NBS for a lack of clarity and rigor in its methodology, claiming the report does not detail its data collection methods or definitions, thereby undermining its reliability.
The coalition challenged the survey’s validity, particularly questioning its sampling framework and stating that the reported figures for the North-West and North-East are disproportionately high compared to the current security situation, which has reportedly improved recently due to military actions against terrorist camps.
“The claim that over 51 million crime incidents occurred in Nigeria, with the North-West accounting for 14.4 million, is not only astonishing but also statistically improbable,” the statement added, suggesting that these figures may reflect preconceived ideas rather than actual data.
While acknowledging that security challenges exist throughout Nigeria, the CNG reaffirmed its dedication to fostering peace, development, and cooperation in Northern Nigeria. They urged the Federal Government and relevant stakeholders to work with the North to address real concerns through effective and sustainable solutions rather than sensationalized statistics.
