Northwest tops crime incidence in Nigeria, says Presidency

The Federal Government, through the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), has debuted a concept tailored towards reporting issues within the polity that are data-backed and aimed at addressing conjectures.

The latest, called the Crime Experience and Security Perception Survey (CESPS), is a novel concept that seeks to ensure that information rolled out to the public is data-driven, not based on conjectures or mere assumptions.

The Presidency, through the Special Adviser on Policy Communications, Barr. Daniel Bwala, on Wednesday, explained that the concept is President Bola Tinubu’s administration’s goal of running an all-inclusive, data-driven socio-economic agenda.

It said the CESPS, in its first report on its debut, released the data based on surveys conducted across the six geopolitical zones of the country.

The Presidency explained that the Northwest recorded the highest crime rate with 14 million cases, followed by the North Central, which stood at 8.8 million incidents. The South East had the lowest occurrence of household crimes, with 6.1 million cases.

The data made available by the Presidential aide showed the Southwest with 6.9 million, South-South – 7.7 million, and Northeast – 7.9 million, respectively.

It also noted that the country has witnessed a drastic decline in cases of incessant kidnapping in the South, armed banditry, and cattle rustling in the North, especially in the Northwest.

“However, it is instructive to state without equivocation that the report released by the NBS is a pointer to the several efforts of the current administration in addressing the security challenges ubiquitous in the country.

“Unlike what obtained in the preceding year, 2023, where crime incidences were pronounced high and at a crescendo, the 2024 report largely revealed the synergy between all relevant security architectures of the country – including military and paramilitary agencies, not forgetting private sector collaborations fostered by the Renewed Hope administration of Mr President.

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“The Latin word speaks to this undeniable fact – res ipsa loquitur – facts speak for themselves.”

According to the Presidency, the country has witnessed a drastic decline in cases of incessant kidnapping in the South, armed banditry, and cattle rustling in the North, especially in the Northwest.

It said, “The activities of the proscribed group from the South East, Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), and its affiliate – the Eastern Security Network, otherwise known as ‘Unknown Gunmen,’ have largely reduced. More importantly, the recent arrest of the Finland-based agent provocateur, Simon Ekpa, who had hitherto instigated endless onslaughts on people from the South East, has contributed significantly.

“On the Northern flank, Nigerians have seen fewer school attacks in the outgoing year, contrary to what was obtainable in recent years. This, no doubt, further lends credence to the fight against crime by the current administration.”

On inflation, the report about a slight increase in inflation is plausible relative to the recent natural disaster experienced by some states in the North, the Presidency said, adding, “the recent flood disaster that ravaged Borno State, with a spillover to states like Adamawa, Yobe, and Gombe, would no doubt have a devastating impact on agricultural produce, given that the nation depends on the North for food production. Understandably, the flood, with its concomitant effect, would naturally shoot up the prices of goods.”

“However, as a government, President Tinubu’s administration’s prompt response to the sad experience clearly showed leadership that is woven around empathy for ordinary Nigerians on the streets.

“The quick intervention from the Federal Government is commendable. It is noteworthy that the Tinubu administration, more than any government, has responded swiftly to the issue of the food crisis.

“The administration has released 2.1 million bags of fertilisers to help farmers across the country. It has also approved the release of N30 billion to Federal Universities of Agriculture to support mechanised farming, among other interventions.

“This is aside from the truckloads of 50kg-size rice sent across the 36 states of the Federation to help combat hunger and reduce inflation.”

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On food crises, the statement further explained that aside from the Federal Government’s quick intervention through the release of truckloads of grains to the sub-nationals, “the Tinubu administration, in partnership with the World Bank, had earmarked a whopping $600 million to fix 200,000 km of rural roads aimed at facilitating food production and transportation to the various parts of the country.

“All of these measures are geared towards addressing food insecurity, the result of which is expected to manifest in the coming months.”

On the economy, the country has had to grapple recently with its debt-to-equity ratio hovering around 97:3. The simple economic conclusion, even to a layman, is that an economy that services its debt with 97% of its revenue is headed for the rocks.

“It takes only strong courage and guts to stem the tide such that the economy would not be comatose ultimately.

“That was what the Tinubu administration has done by reducing the debt-to-equity ratio to 68:32 within a space of one year. That was a huge milestone!

“Payment of backlog of forex arrears to the tune of N7 billion and an increase in foreign reserves to over $40 billion is no joke. All of these and other economic policies embarked upon by the administration are geared towards redirecting and reworking the entire governance architecture of the country for a more robust and thriving economy that will benefit all and sundry,” the Presidency concluded.