Festive season is here again. During the last quarter of the year (a period popularly called the “ember months” in Nigeria – a reference to the last letters of the words September, October, November and December), many people count down to Christmas, End-of-the-Year and New Year festivities.
Towards and during these festivities, specific threats and risks arise. For instance, celebration pressure may make road users reckless, leading to accidents.
Some of the threats and risks derive from the state of security in the country. Nigeria currently ranks as the 8th most dangerous country in the world, according to the 2024 Global Terrorism Index.
Nigeria's many security challenges, ranging from violent extremism to banditry, pose a threat to commuters and passengers. During the festive season the threat is even greater as more people move around the country.
Opportunistic crime, such as robbery, smuggling, kidnapping, advance fee fraud (aka 419) and money-making rituals, is also more likely over the festive season, when people need money.
There is usually an upswing of highway incidents, such as vehicular accidents and hijackings, as well as urban violence and criminality, in the year's last months. More road crashes are recorded during the season and more incidents of violent crimes are witnessed in city centres and suburbs.
From mid-December to mid-January, there is usually more gun violence, evidenced in rising rates of ransom-driven kidnapping, car-snatching, hire-assassination, and residential robbery with high-profile targets.
Most of these incidents occur in areas with pre-existing security problems. Opportunistic criminals often take advantage of such situations.
What can people do to stay safe during the festive season in Nigeria? As a security expert who has researched, written and consulted widely on aspects of Nigeria's national security, I offer four important tips:
avoid taking unnecessary risks
avoid the desperation for money
be alert
make contingency security plans.
4 tips to keep safe
The four tips apply to the routine activities of individuals and households.
First, people would do well to stop taking unreasonable and unnecessary risks. Something as seemingly simple as making night journeys is a great risk in Nigeria today. There's a greater danger of accidents and robberies than during day trips.
Gambling, betting, and subscribing to all forms of ponzi schemes and the like should be avoided.
Second, don't try to make money through desperate measures like sex work and drug dealing. Life does not end in a year; you can achieve next year whatever you failed to achieve this year.
Third, cultivate an awareness of risk and be sensitive to threat. Avoid what you perceive as threatening situations. Flaunting personal wealth may be hazardous: you could be advertising your kidnap ransom value. No fewer than 4,000 people were abducted in Nigeria between June 2022 and July 2023.
Fourth, security is everyone's business. There's a lot individuals can do to ensure their personal safety. Make security a part of your daily routine activities. Be careful about where you visit, when and how: some locations and routes are dangerous and should be avoided as much as possible.
Also, mind the kind of company you keep. If you live or work in a volatile area, make arrangements for personal security in line with what the law permits.
Beyond individual efforts
These measures can help keep individuals and households safe. But a whole lot depends on what the government and community leadership can offer.
The government should ensure there is capacity for effective coercive surveillance, patrol and rapid response by the police and allied internal security operatives in all localities.
The lethargic approach for which the police have been notorious must change. Self-help community initiatives for security are a necessity.
There is a need for cooperation and coordination between households, communities and public security operatives. This would make it possible to share intelligence and reinforcements.
A community policing framework, based on participatory engagements of these stakeholders, is required, especially during the festivities.
Caution and vigilance
Festive seasons are periods of celebration, but can also be times of desperation. They have often been associated with harmful incidents.
If individuals take basic precautions, remain reasonably vigilant, and work with the existing community and government security mechanisms, society will be better able to reduce and prevent threats.
Dr Al Chukwuma Okoli is a Reader in Security Governance at Federal University of Lafia, Nigeria. He has consulted for many governmental and non-governmental organizations, including Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), African Union (AU), UN Women, and etc. Dr Okoli is a member of Amnesty and International (AI) as well as Conflict Research Network West Africa (CORN-WA).
By Al Chukwuma Okoli, Reader (Associate Professor) Department of Political Science, Federal University of Lafia, Nigeria, Federal University Lafia
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