Kidnapping: Nigerians should give more attentions to their own personal security-Outgoing Niger PPRO

Following the prevailing cases of security challenges bedeviling the country, especially kidnapping for ransom, by some criminal elements, Nigerians have been advised to always be security conscious as personal security is the most important security thing, against unforeseen circumstances, as   no one can police the citizenry better than themselves.

Giving the advice at the weekend was the outgoing Police Public Relations Officer, Niger State Command, DSP Bala Elkana in an interactive session with the newsmen shortly after the handing over and taking over ceremony between him and his successor, ASP Comfort Olawumi at the Headquarters of the State Police Command in  Minna.

He said some of the security tips that needed to be observed by   members of the Nigerian public in order to escape being kidnapped by hoodlums who are on the prowl in parts of the country includes the need by citizens to live very low profile lifestyle, adding that it was a security risk for anyone who is rich to go on the Social Media, especially the Face Book for unnecessary display of wealth.

Speaking further, Elkana, a Deputy Superintendent of Police {DSP} who has been transferred to Akwa Ibom State Command of the Force,   said, “God blessed you with a new car and you put it on the Face Book, you are on vacation and you put it on Face Book and the social Media, but you did not realize that some unscrupulous people were watching and monitoring your movements and they would go after you”.

He added further that another bad attitude common among Nigerians is the penchant for going to functions and displaying that they have money by spraying hard   currencies, adding that the criminal elements in the society were watching such individuals with the view to go after them sooner or later after the event.

“But if you live a low key life style, even if you are blessed with a lot of things, you will not attract negative attention to you . And you should avoid carrying expensive things you probably did not need to move about town or cities with.  And you have to be conscious of the people you allowed to your house especially strangers.

“And you are at home, somebody is knocking on your door and you just jump into opening the door, we are in GSM era, whoever is close to you and coming to your house should be able to contact you on telephone that he is coming to pay you a visit,” he stated.

He however described as a security risk, a situation whereby nobody called someone, and he or she heard that somebody was knocking the door t odd hours and the occupants of the house who attempt to open his or her door to such strange person,   amounted to putting one’s life at risk.

The Outgoing Police Spokesman ,  said that community based  policing as the solution to reducing  crimes in any  society, pointing out that police and the people must work together, highlighting  that the police cannot really  do it alone

Accordingly,  he said police most atimes were strangers from different places coming to  Niger state  to police the state adding that one cannot really blamed the police personnel for not knowing Niger state better than   the people of Niger state.

“And in any community again, most of those criminals you see are not spirits, they live among the people, saying by the time you watch a stranger and you say nothing, you watched a strange movement and you say nothing, by the time they strike, the victim may be you or may be someone close to you or the victim may be your neighbor even”, maintained Elkana .