How to avoid becoming a Victim of Kidnapping for Ransom
The last thing anyone expects when they step out of their house is to be the next victim of kidnapping for ransom. However, it is fast becoming a sad occurrence in Nigeria. To avoid becoming the next victim of kidnapping, the important tips below should be considered.
Vigilance
Vigilance is important to avoid being the next victim of kidnapping. Being vigilant means to be aware of one’s surroundings and noting any thing that seems strange and abnormal. This can be as little as observing the vehicle driving behind or the people in one’s environment. This vigilance can help one act on time to escape a kidnapping situation.
Public Transport
Some victims of kidnapping have reported that they were picked up after they got into the vehicles of the kidnappers. Due to the shortage of commercial vehicles sometimes, commuters often accept rides from private car owners. This is dangerous as it is difficult to tell who is being kind and who is a kidnapper. Thus, it is better to use designated commercial vehicles than risk being a victim.
For interstate travel, the same principle applies. It is better to go to the park and use designated vehicles than waving random vehicles on the side of the expressway. While the latter is cheaper and in some cases faster, it increases the risk of being a victim of kidnapping.
Avoid night commute
Some of the reported cases of kidnapping have happened at night. Night commuting increases the risk of kidnapping compared to broad daylight where there are more people on the road and chances of being rescued is high. For interstate travel, one should consider an early departure so as to avoid travelling or getting to the destination at night. For a lengthy road trip that may last more than 12 hours, it is advisable to stagger the trip and spend the night in a hotel to continue the commute the following day.
Air vs Road
At the moment, many people are advising against non-important inter state travel. This is because interstate roads have now become hotbeds for kidnappers who lay in wait for travellers. In cases where the trip is important, it is better to go by air if one can afford it. In situations where the destination does not have an airport, consider flying to the closest state preferably in the morning and continue the rest of the journey by road.
Turn off or delete bank alert texts
The motive behind kidnapping for ransom is almost always purely financial. Thus, kidnappers sometimes assess the financial capability of a victim to gauge their relevance. People who are perceived to be poor are assumed to have poor families who would not be able to raise the ransom and thus not worth kidnapping. This assessment can sometimes be done by going through a victim’s phone for messages that give a glimpse of their financial status. Turning off credit alerts or deleting these messages can be the difference between being a victim of kidnapping or being freed.
Avoid known hotbeds
Some locations have become notorious for kidnapping and have recorded multiple cases. For example, there was a time when the Benin-Ore road was notorious for kidnapping. There was also another time when the Berger area of Lagos was notorious for kidnappers using private vehicles to hunt for victims. Knowing this and planning ones commute around this can prevent kidnapping.
Keep up with information
Social media has become a tool for getting real time information that can help one avoid being a victim of kidnapping. For example, during the kidnapping incident that occurred in Lekki, a few people who witnessed it tweeted it raising awareness that can save other people. Knowing this information can be of great help to avoid being a victim of kidnapping.
Group farming
Farmlands especially in the southern region have been reported to be places kidnappers target. This is because farming communities are usually sparsely populated making it difficult to prevent kidnapping. Thus, it is advisable for farmers to go to their farms as a group. That way, their large number can help deter kidnappers.
While these measures are not exhaustive they cover a wide range of preventive measures that can help one avoid being a victim of kidnaping.
