15 Conscious security tips for every Nigerian

by Toni Eghosa-Kruz Ewone

As Nigeria’s security situation increasingly becomes a dilemma, One begins to ponder where to run to. Is it a crime to be born here?, Recently adjudged as the 6th worst Nation to live in Africa, Nigeria over the years due to crass decay in Leadership and increased corruption has become a danger zone  for its citizens and the international community. Government and public office holder’s detachment from their communities and responsibilities have come back to hurt us. We have thus bitten the forbidden fruit.

With a population of over 155 million people, Nigeria currently lies in a dire security mess as individuals can no longer sleep well or even travel within to certain geographical zones of the country due to the stronghold of some sects. Safeguarding yourself and your family is now at your peril as Social vices, trespassing, uncertainty, debasement, treachery and the dreaded Jama’atu Ahlis Sunna Lidda’awati Wal-Jihad better known by its Hausa name Boko Haram can easily describe the Nigerian polity today. All these have arisen due to Government’s maleficence and character/culture degeneration.

Here are 15 cautious tips to keep you alert and be forethoughtful in the Nigeria we live in today:

  1) Be Friendly with Neighbours | Maintaining a positive relationship with your neighbours go a long way in ensuring a safe neighbourhood. This breeds a lookout situation for every suburb and thus guarantees a watchful and vigilant locality.

2) Simple Lifestyle | Living a simple and responsible lifestyle thoroughly drives off attention from criminals and hoodlums. Conducting activities moderately and avoiding glitz and glamour help to make one less of a censurable and threat personality.

3) Be Vigilant | Being alert and watchful is a wisdom element. Every individual has to be sharp spirited and psyched up to happenings around them. Be observant, be perceptive and report any unwholesome/unusual behaviour immediately to the appropriate authorities.

4) Never Give Out Information Carelessly | This seems rather normal for most Nigerians, secret memos and data leak out of our lips either willingly, in pubs or even in an atmosphere of hysteria.  Always ensure cogent information about you or members of your family are shared amongst those trustworthy. Never give vital information to persons unfamiliar to you.

5) Keep Gadgets Close at Night | Over the years, it has become common knowledge that having gadgets like radios, phones(loaded with airtime) and even the torchlight close to our easy reach permanently helps us during danger times. SOS Phone calls help to save lives as well as other home appliances.

6) Ensure Availability of Home Security Equipment | For the Home, security has never been a more talked about situation than now. Basic security appliances like lights, windows, doors and gates should be available and secured at night time. Doors should be locked, curtains drawn and gates closed.

7) Identify Weaknesses | Every individual/corporate body should always note the weaknesses in their home/organization and work hard to solve it. Weaknesses such as bad locks, a bad door or even a faulty bulb could be an incentive for opportunistic theft and thus attract burglars.

8) Avoid Late Night Outings | Taking the security situation of the country into consideration, it is wise for individuals to keep off late night activities. Depravity, evil doings and libidinousness mostly typify and peg night life in Nigeria.

9) Maintain a Conscious Mind | Nowadays in Nigeria, every home is a potential target but the more we maintain a sense of conscious, neighbour- less and community togetherness, security and defence would sooner than later become a problem of the past.

10) Examine Visitors | Ensure to always check and vet external bodies that visit your homes. Some are hoodlums who act on uniform as NPF or PHCN Staff. Always scrutinize such individuals and visitors and keep them at a distance.

We alone as a people can only secure ourselves. There is no surveillance like individual surveillance. Note that your safety is paramount and no officer can protect you more than you can.

Handle Me on Twitter @Eghosakruz

Op-ed pieces and contributions are the opinions of the writers only and do not represent the opinions of Y!/YNaija.

Comments (5)

  1. I totally agree with all the above submissions except lucabracee's. His submission only reinforces my belief that widespread misunderstanding of security is the ultimate fuel of insecurity in Nigeria. Thumbs up guys

  2. Thumbs up Ewone! as for the 'Utopian' argument, it can only be utopian when you have decide to view your safety as 'utopia' so better be late than absent! safety first oh.

  3. These are good ideas. You forgot to add that people should obtain emergency phone numbers and where possible, the phone nos of the police station(s) and their officers nearest to them. They can also try to get the phones nos and Twitter/Facebook accounts of media houses (especially radio stations). Where there is an attack and someone puts it on social media, it helps to trigger a quick response. Useful nos are 767 (in Lagos), 122 (Nationwide emergency number) 08102555581 and 08077446699 (Texts Only – IGP Abubakar). Whether Ur struggling to pay rent or not, Ur security is important.

  4. Luca,as regards it being utopian,practicality is achievable if grit,foresight and forethought are always a watchword.

  5. this is all very well and good for a middle class or high class nigerian but i dont really see a working class or a family struggling to pay rent in a face me i face you being able to afford these utopian security tips of yours

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