Kidnapping for ransom (KFR) is an escalating threat in Chad and its neighbouring states in the Central Africa region. While concentrated in the southern border regions near Cameroon and the Central African Republic (CAR), there are KFR hotspots across the country with subtle variations per region. What began as a tactic of sporadic rural banditry in the 1990s has evolved into a structured, transnational criminal economy, increasingly tied to cycles of armed conflict, crossborder insecurity and institutional fragility.

Building on prior indications from the Institute for Security Studies (ISS) that the expanding scale and scope of KFR in Chad could spark a regional security crisis, this thematic report aims to provide evidence-based analysis of the dynamics of KFR in Chad and its borderlands, offering actionable recommendations for prevention and response.

About the author

Dr Titilope F Ajayi is a senior researcher with the Central Africa Observatory on Transnational Organized Crime. She brings over two decades of experience analyzing conflict dynamics, political violence, security governance and gender across West and Central Africa. Her recent work has focused on Chad and South Sudan, examining how transnational organized criminal economies, state and community responses,and regional political dynamics shape insecurity. She has led multi-country field and policy research for governments, regional organizations and international partners, producing evidence that informs strategies on conflict prevention, protection and security governance in complex and changing environments.