43-Security and Safety Tips for All Year Round In Nigeria

We feel obliged to forward to you the following security tips to aid you and your family to have joyful, incident free, and generally happy 2014, so we have put together these 43 safety tips to act as guide.

1.       Target hardening: Secure your doors and windows before going out or going to bed at night. Doors should be made with strong wood, iron, and strong iron burglary.

2.       Locks and keys should be replaced when suspected to have been tampered with or malfunctioning.

3.       Keep all your doors locked even when at home with members of your family.

4.       Carefully observe your environment as you step out or when approaching your home.

5.       Be conscious of unusual movement, sound, or noise around your home.

6.       Domestic servants and drivers should be screened and credible guarantors should be gotten before employment.

7.       Your wards and domestic servants should be discouraged from harbouring or bringing in unknown person(s).

8.       Avoid domestic servants and mai-guards who are non-Nigerians, as they may not be traced when wanted.

9.       Don’t panic when you receive threat messages on your phone, contact the police.

10.   Know who your neighbours are and collaborate with them to keep you safe and secure.

11.   Be aware of the fact that criminals might were police uniforms.

12.   Alert the police on noticing abandon vehicle, or object and persons loitering around your area.

13.   Have local knowledge of your neighbourhood or vulnerable point, public building and events centre.

14.   Be extra conscious when a visitor opens self-introduction with religious title such Pastor, Prophet, Imam or Alfa.

15.   Always keep your documents secret and jealously guarded.

16.   If you have burglar or intrusion alarms installed, check and switch them on at all times.

17.   Discourage members of your household from keeping late nights.

18.   Investigate before accepting invitations to social and sponsored business events, and organisations.

19.   To further secure your car, install car tracking devices steering lock or pedal lock and avoid packing your car in isolated areas to avoid vandalization or get stolen.  Please note that owners of Toyota Camry, Honda Accord, and Prado Jeep should put extra security in their cars because they are the most stolen.

20.   Install CCTV camera(s) in your office and if you can afford it in your home too.

21.   Profile all your staff members, and go further to take their fingerprints.

22.   Avoid attracting unnecessary attention to yourself by making calls with your expensive phone on the street, or showing off your expensive jewelleries, wristwatches, and other personal effects that may attract unscrupulous elements to go after you.

23.   Be vigilant and conscious when driving. Watch your side and rear view mirror to know if you are being trailed.

     

24.       Always observe the psychological instincts of drivers ahead or behind you to ascertain their intention. When you are driving and there is a sudden impact on your car, prompting you to stop, please do not stop, drive on to the nearest police station. They may be car snatchers. The same is applicable to Okada (motorcycle).

25.       When using ATM, especially at night, ensure the surroundings are well illuminated. Don’t go to an isolated area to cash money. Avoid ATMs located behind buildings, pillars, or wall.

26.       Unplug all electrical appliances: TV, radio, Air Conditioners, etc. when not in use.

27.       Always observe in a jiffy the demeanour of the driver and other occupants before entering a public vehicle (one chance).

 28.  Introduce a tally system at the gate to screen or secure vehicles coming in and going out of your office.

29.       Warn your driver not to seat in the vehicle while waiting for you. Hoodlums may come quietly with a gun and take your car with ease.

30.       Be very discreet about your withdrawal from banks and avoid moving about with large sum of money. Use ATM and available money transfer opportunities provided by banks to transfer large sums of money.

31.       Always keep your movement secret. The more secretive you are about your travel arrangement and itinerary, the less vulnerable you will be to attackers.

32.       Identify visitors properly before opening your gate or your door.

33.    Be careful when a neighbour knocks on you door at odd hours as criminals can use them to gain access to your home.

34.   Teach your household local emergency phone numbers (Lagos _ 112 and 767).

35.   Make sure younger children know their name, address, and phone number.

36.   Avoid night travels and always keep enough money for emergency situations like boarding of fresh conveyance or movement from one place to another.

37.   Ensure you have fire extinguishers in your home, especially the kitchen and show the entire household how to use them.

38.   Always make sure you have flashlight (torch light) at points that can be reached easily.

39.   Keep away from any luggage not attended to in hotels, airports or other public places.

40.   Do not give away any personal information such as your phone numbers and home address, especially on social networking websites or to persons unknown to you.

41.   Create a peephole in your door , where you can check out the person at your door before letting him or her in.

42.   Opt for clear glass windows to observe  a person from a distance.

43.   Watch what and where you speak, especially on the phone. A lot of people have no sense of security while speaking, and could end up bragging themselves into being kidnapped and asked to pay ransom.