NBS Website Back Online, But Crimes Report Missing

A month after the website of the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) crashed under a controversial hack and sparked concerns of potential data manipulation and suppression, the platform is now accessible to the public. 

NBS on December 18, 2024, confirmed the hack on the Bureau’s X page 24 hours after the publication of the Crime Experience and Security Perception Report that led to the alleged arrest of the Statistician General Adeniran Adeyemi by the DSS, although the NBS denied the arrest and clarified he was only summoned to explain the methodology of the report. With the restoration of the website, the controversial crime experience and security perception report are no longer available on the website.

The report revealed that Nigerians paid a staggering N2.23 trillion as ransom in one year, from May 2023 to April 2024. The report also estimated 51.89 million crime incidents across Nigerian households during the period.

The North-West recorded the highest number of incidents, exceeding 14 million cases, while the South-East had the least, with over six million cases reported. Additionally, crime in rural areas (26,526,069 incidents) surpassed that in urban areas (25,360,963).

The NBS report also highlighted the severity of crime in Nigeria, underscoring the socio-economic challenges faced by the country. 

The disruptions to the bureau’s activities have hampered the timely release of critical economic data. This grounding delayed the release of the December inflation report, initially scheduled for mid-January. This delay set back the Central Bank of Nigeria’s policy meeting set for January 27-28, where inflation data is a key factor in decision-making.

Additionally, the NBS has missed deadlines for publishing reports on capital flows into Nigeria for the third quarter of 2024 and updates on the country’s local and foreign debt. These reports are crucial for researchers, economists, and policymakers who rely on the bureau’s data to track economic trends and make informed decisions.

The situation underscores the urgent need for stability within the NBS to ensure the timely release of vital economic and social data.