A quick security overview of Nigeria shows that the country is faced with insecurity in the Northeast, kidnapping in the south-east and internet fraud amongst youths in Nigeria.

These have all made one to wonder what will become of the country in 20 years. Some have predicted a division in the country.

President Muhammadu Buhari in his 60th Independence Day address to Nigeria, he stressed the need for a united Nigeria, He reiterated his administrations resolve to make Nigeria a safe place to Nigerian and foreigners – This comment many believe have been overemphasized without any meaningful actionable plan.

 5 strategic security measures for Nigerian communities

The state of security in Nigeria should not be something to take with levity, all hands must be on deck, it seems as though the police have got their hands full. The onus now on us as Nigerians to have a personal security strategy for our immediate community.

1. Street gates

There are many things street gate will do for you, it will help you manage traffic within your community, it can also help you manage access to your community, for instance, some street gates are always closed and only opened when a registered residence of the estate or community tries to enter or exit the estate.

In some areas, the gate opening hours are set for late early morning and closed at 8-10 pm. I am sure you can relate to this in some neighbourhood.

The street gate also reduced the chances of criminals or thieves from getting away easily, once an alarm is raised of a robbery or a criminal activity, it is easier to cage arrest perpetrator because they will have no other way to exit the area.

The aforementioned are all ways a street gate can help keep the community safe.

2. Security guards

A community watch is one of the best ways to improve security, however, there are some limitations to this, individual who is chosen or selected don’t necessarily have any a formal military or professional security training and they are not always on ground 24/7, you find them usually at night.

The most assuring of all is the private security guards, their professionalism is the reason why the elites will prefer to live in the estates. Guards are trained to identify threats, apprehend criminals, and manage access control within the estate.

3. Street lighting

Poor lighting can hide criminal activities like rape, bag snatching, robbery and kidnapping come.  This is another reason why you find more people wanting to live in an estate because most estate now has street lights. No one would ever wish to be at the end of any of the mentioned criminal activities.

If your street lights are inadequate, contact your homeowner’s association or local government for safer lighting. Encourage local businesses and residents to set up outdoor lights as well.

4. Address uncompleted buildings

Uncompleted buildings serve as a hideout for criminals. Building project gets stalled due to several reasons, building owners should be contacted as soon as you notice people are hanging around.

It is always recommended that building should not be empty, owners can have the plot leased or cleared of bushes. If peradventure you don’t know the owner of the building you should contact your local government with your concerns.

5. Community sensitization

In the previous article, we gave insights into what community policing is and its benefits. Members of the community must be security conscious.

Landlords whose doors and locks are not strong enough should do well to get them fixed. If there are neighbors who cannot afford to upgrade their homes, consider working with your community watch group to assist them by keeping an eye during patrols.

You might even want to install security measures such as a security alarm or other deterrents.

Final words

Security is key, it is the bedrock of a developed economy, it is impossible to separate a developed country from a good security system. With mentioned strategies, we believe our communities can be safer and effectively make the country a safe place for businesses to thrive and development to take place.

We must take decisive action as a government and member of our respective communities, security is everyone’s business, there is the part of the government and other security parastatals, then the part of the people.

Get your street lightened if it’s not, employ the services of security guards, and install gates at strategic entry and exit points. Also, communities and house owners must be sensitized of the security threat overgrown bushes and uncompleted building pose to the communities.