15 August 2026 · Awka South
Kidnapping in Anambra
OpenWatch has recorded 112 reported kidnapping incidents in Anambra State, 16 of them in the last 12 months. That is 17% of every incident recorded in the state, and ranks it 27 of 37 among the states where kidnapping is reported often enough to profile.
Incidents · 12 mo
16
Fatalities · 12 mo
6
Incidents · all-time
112
Fatalities · all-time
82
Latest reported kidnapping in Anambra
13 August 2026
Anambra kidnappers raise ransom to N1.5bn
5 August 2026 · Awka South
Jezco boss, reverend sister released after Ifite-Awka abduction
5 August 2026
Jezco Group chairman kidnapped, N1.5bn ransom demanded
4 August 2026 · Aguata
A prominent Anambra businessman was allegedly abducted from outside his home in Ekwulobia, Aguata LGA, prompting the community's traditional ruler to postpone the annual New Yam festival while he remains in captivity.
2 August 2026
A Nigerian billionaire businessman and oil company founder was reportedly abducted by unidentified gunmen while praying alone, without his usual security detail, on a mountain in Awka, Anambra State.
27 July 2026 · Awka North
Gunmen abducted an INEC employee and shot a businessman along the Ebenebe axis of Awka North LGA in Anambra State, demanding a N40 million ransom for the abducted victim.
27 July 2026 · Dunukofia
Anambra State Police arrested two suspected kidnappers linked to multiple abductions across the state, including a June 26 kidnapping at Divine Heritage Lodge, Ukwulu, Dunukofia LGA, where a victim was held for four days and ₦15 million ransom was paid after ₦30 million was demanded. The prime suspect was arrested on July 27 by the Rapid Response Squad, Awkuzu, and led operatives to the gang leader, who was subsequently arrested in Ugwuoba Gariki, Enugu State.
16 July 2026 · Ogbaru
Anambra State Police arrested four suspected kidnappers across separate operations on July 15-16, 2026, foiling a kidnap attempt on a female POS operator in Ogbaru and linking suspects to an earlier abduction in Onitsha where a victim was forced to pay a ₦3.5 million ransom. A locally fabricated pistol, ammunition, axe, and a Toyota Camry with tinted windows were recovered.
23 June 2026 · Idemili North
A woman disguised as a nurse attempted to abduct newborns at Divine Mercy Hospital in Awada, Anambra State. She was caught by hospital staff and is now in protective custody as police investigate the suspected child trafficking case.
Other threats in Anambra
About these figures
Counts cover incidents classified as kidnapping in Anambra State, drawn from OpenWatch’s incident record, excluding retracted reports and duplicates merged into an earlier report. Figures update hourly. Last recorded: 15 August 2026.
Reported numbers are a floor, not a census. Incidents in remote areas are routinely under-reported, and classification follows how an event was described in reporting, so a low count is not a guarantee of safety. See the full Anambra risk profile for every threat type, or the methodology for how incidents are collected and classified.
Track Anambra live on the incident map.