DSS interrogates NBS chief over controversial crime survey report

Semiu Adeniran, the Statistician-General of the Federation and CEO of the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), has been interrogated by the Department of State Security (DSS) following the release of a controversial crime survey report by the Bureau.

Adeniran was reportedly arrested on Wednesday after the NBS published its “Crime Experience and Security Perception Survey,” which has sparked significant backlash.

The survey, released on Tuesday, revealed alarming figures, including that Nigerians paid N2.23 trillion as ransom to kidnappers between May 2023 and April 2024. It also reported that an estimated 51.89 million crime incidents were recorded across households in the country during the same period.

The North-West region topped the crime charts with 14.4 million cases, followed by the North-Central region with 8.8 million incidents.

The report has drawn sharp criticism, with government sources viewing it as a setback for the administration’s efforts to combat insecurity.

A senior NBS official, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed Adeniran’s arrest, stating, “The CEO is being interrogated by the DSS over the report.

The operatives raided our headquarters, seized computers, crime survey documents, and took Mr. Adeniran into custody.”

It was also revealed that the survey had been allocated N2 billion for its preparation, but Adeniran allegedly bypassed standard procedures by releasing the report without consulting security agencies or the Minister of Finance, Atiku Bagudu.

The report has reportedly angered both the President and the Minister, who felt the findings embarrassed the government and its security agencies.

In the wake of the controversy, the NBS announced that its official website had been hacked.

The Bureau urged the public to disregard any unofficial communications or reports until the site was fully restored, raising suspicions that the cyberattack was related to the backlash against the survey.

Efforts to contact the NBS spokesperson for comment went unanswered, and the developments have raised concerns about the potential political interference in the Bureau’s operations.

The NBS, as the primary agency for data collection and analysis in Nigeria, plays a crucial role in shaping public policy.

Observers worry that such actions could undermine the agency’s independence and its credibility.