In this Premium Times opinion by Lanre Ogundipe, the author argues that Nigeria’s insecurity has evolved from a security problem into a macroeconomic crisis.He questions who profits from prolonged instability and ransom-based violence, highlighting an alarming figure: about ₦2.23 trillion was paid in ransom between May 2023 and April 2024.

The piece describes kidnapping as not merely crime but an organized economic sector with supply chains, negotiators, and logistics networks that influence inflation, investment, and rural livelihoods.

The author notes that this underground economy drains productive capital, with families selling land, farmers abandoning fields, and communities reallocating resources to manage fear.

He emphasizes that government has to move beyond military beats and ceremonial security talks to tackle the systemic intelligence failures, corruption, and local collaborations enabling these networks.

Proposals include aggressive financial intelligence, telecom surveillance, rural governance reconstruction, stricter border control, and anti-money laundering efforts to disrupt criminal supply chains.

The piece ends with a warning that if the state does not confront this embedded economic insurgency, fear will continue to erode national sovereignty and public trust.