If you have lived within, near a Nigerian University or Tertiary Institution environment, you would attest to the fact that it takes a lot of hard work to keep oneself invisible to bad boys or cultists.
As much as the authorities might wish to deny the existence of cult groups in schools, their nefarious activities have remained increasingly disturbing in recent times.
In some cases, some unfortunate victims have had their valuables snatched from them; some beaten to pulp for putting up some resistance, homes attacked or burgled while some victims lose their lives to these bad elements.
However, there are measures you could adopt to secure yourself against cultists that operate in these student’s environment.
Whether you are a student or a worker living around such volatile areas, you need these measures to keep yourself safe and secure against cultists and their activities.
RULE 1: Keep low profile: It is very uncommon to be attacked by cultists when you do not draw attention to yourself. Being humble, minding your business at all times and refraining from activities which exposes you negatively are key to ensuring your security against cultists. If they perceive that your world is different from theirs, they would in turn mind their business.
RULE 2: Be friendly but not excessively sociable: When you successfully strike a balance between making everyone feel happy about you and flirting around, then your security is assured. Always ensure that you greet and return people’s greetings. Try to know and relate well with people who live around you. Avoid unnecessary hangouts at beer parlous, clubs and dance halls. These places have unfortunately become the breeding grounds for cultists and their activities.
RULE 3: Engage in healthy social or Religious activities: Let people around you know that your interest lies in what does not sooth them.
By going regularly to church or mosque for prayers, by joining sport teams and engaging in some useful ventures that capture your whole time and attention, they would not have any need to pay you a visit.
RULE 4: Avoid flamboyant public spending and dress codes: If you show cultists that you have what they need, you easily become a target. As much as possible, try not to show off with what you have publicly. Your dress codes tell a lot about you. Your method of spending reveals a lot about what you are. Therefore, be careful the way you carry yourself to avoid being spotted from among the crowd of local residents.
RULE 5: Keep your valuables cautiously and don’t tell your friends about it. One of the mistakes students make is leaving their valuables lying unprotected. If you are anything like such students, then changing now is better for you. Do not leave your textbooks, phone, laptop, jewelries, and other valuables carelessly all over the place. Lock them up in your cupboard when you don’t need them. Dormitory or hotels are public places that anyone can enter; an intruder may enter your dorm and cart away your valuables if they are not well kept.
RULE 6: Keep your dorm room secure If the door to your dorm is not very intact, you need to inform the appropriate personnel so that it would be fixed. The same applies if you stay alone in a room. But if you stay off-campus, then you must ensure that you have a good Grade-A lock. You can also install a basic alarm system that would alert you when danger looms. (Wireless alarm systems are a perfect choice because they are easy to install and remove, and they are affordable).
RULE 7: Use the buddy system What this means is that you should never walk alone. There is power in numbers; the larger your group, the lesser your chance of being attacked. This precaution should be particularly observed at night and whenever you need to walk past silent or desolated places. When returning from reading sessions or church services at night, make sure you walk in group. The greater the number of people you walk with; the better and safer for you. However, you should not use this principle as excuse to join a campus cult or gang; as there is no safety or protection in them.
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