AfricaInsider article13 min read
The Hostage Economy: How Kidnapping Funds the Sahel's Wars
Brant Philip26 August 2026
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- Kidnapping has evolved from a criminal sideshow into an indispensable funding mechanism that directly fuels the Sahel's armed conflicts.
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Prisoner releases in the Sahel, including Kevin Rideout's reported $12 million ransom, reveal how kidnapping bankrolls the region's wars.
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The Hostage Economy: How Kidnapping Funds the Sahel's Wars
