CNG Rejects NBS Crime/Security Reports, Alleges Bias Against North 

The Coalition of Northern Groups, CNG, has protested the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) recently released report titled, “Crime Experienced and Security Perception Survey (CESPS) 2024,” claiming that between May 2023 and April 2024, 614,937 Nigerians were killed; 2,235,954 kidnapped, while an astonishing N2.2 trillion paid as ransom.

The Coalition of Northern Groups (CNG) in a statement by the national coordinator Jamilu Aliyu Charanchi said it strongly contests the NBS-CESPS survey. It said the report, which seeks to outline crime statistics and security perceptions across Nigeria, presents a misleading, manufactured and biased portrayal of the North as a region plagued by insurmountable security challenges.

“We categorically reject the report and its findings as flawed, unfounded, and complete fabrication that does not represent the verifiable reality in the North and Nigeria as a whole.

“The NBS report lacks transparency and rigor in its methodological approach. By failing to provide clear, verifiable data collection methods and definitions, the report comprises its credibility.

“The CNG questions the validity of the survey as it does not explain its sampling framework in sufficient detail, raising concerns about representativeness.

“The reported figures, especially those pertaining to the North-West and North-East, are disproportionately high and inconsistent with the lived realities of many communities in these regions which have witnessed significant improved security situation just as weeks ago the Nigerian Army destroyed over 22 operational camps of Lakurawa terrorists in Kebbi and Sokoto States,” the coalition said.

The CNG similarly debunked the purported payment of such humongous sums as ransom by Nigerians, saying it defies basic logic and common sense for poverty-stricken destitute to mobilise such resources for terror groups. “How could struggling rural communities, ravaged by poverty, amass ₦2.2 trillion for ransoms in just one year? Even global ransom data pales in comparison, rendering this claim not only absurd but malicious,” it said.

The CNG not only questions the figures for the killing but also reminds the NBS that, with all challenges, Nigeria has not been in a full-fledge war situation akin to happenings in Gaza, Ukraine, Sudan and elsewhere.

“According to the NBS, 614,937 had been killed in just 12 months. This translates to killing 51,244.75 every month and killing 1,684.76 Nigerians daily.

“Let us quickly juxtapose this data with the war-ravaged countries to draw comparative conclusions.

“Despite sustained bombardment in the Ukraine-Russia War, the United Nations reported that there were 10,582 civilian deaths since February 2022.

“Ing the Sudan civil war of 14 months that destroyed the country’s capital, 61,000 deaths were recorded with all destruction in Khartoum. Again, the Israeli continuous aerial bombardment and ground invasion of Gaza strip recorded about 50,000 causalities since the start of the war on October 8, 2023.

“Therefore, the NBS figure does not only mischievously fabricate figures but also cast an irreversible stain on the reputation and integrity of the NBS as an institution. This is because Nigeria is never near any of the above countries that should have recorded such a jaw-breaking death toll. This is preposterous,” it said.

The CNG argues that respected sources, including The Nation newspaper, confirm progress in the fight against banditry:

The group claimed that kidnapping incidents have dropped to record lows over the past year, saying these truths debunk the NBS’s exaggerated claims.

“In the same vein, Security forces have decimated over 22 camps of terrorists in the North West region of Nigeria. In the North Central, there was significant successes in tackling banditry and criminality. Abuja – Kaduna highway had been improved security wise as commuters ply the road without fright of being the next victim of kidnapping and banditry,” it added.

According to the Northern groups by peddling such exaggerated figures, the NBS risks discouraging investment in Nigeria particularly in the North where the figures are outrageously ridiculous. It said this smack of an orchestrated plot to economically sabotage the prospect of investment in the region.

The CNG therefore demanded full disclosure of the sources and methodologies behind these figures, saying Nigerians deserve transparency, not politically motivated fabrications.

“The CNG is dismayed by the report’s attempt to disproportionately highlight the North-West and North-East zones as epicenters of crime, including home robbery, livestock theft, and murder while ignoring the complexity of security issues in other parts of the country, including urban centers in the South, where reports of organized crime, cultism, and cybercrime are equally prevalent.

“The report’s conclusion that over 51 million crime incidents occurred in Nigeria, with the North-West leading at 14.4 million, is not only staggering but also statistically implausible. These exaggerated figures cast doubt on the authenticity of the survey, raising the question: was this an attempt to fit preconceived notions rather than reflect actual data?

“While the CNG acknowledges that security challenges exist in every part of Nigeria, it remains committed to fostering peace, development, and harmony across Northern Nigeria. We urge the Federal Government and relevant stakeholders to partner with the North in addressing genuine concerns through practical and sustainable solutions rather than sensationalized data,” the statement reads in part.