Recently, hundreds of Nigerians, from the high to the low, have been kidnapped across the nation. Kidnapping has become such a threat that many are wondering how not to fall victims.

The Nigerian Social Media space is awash with reactions following the kidnap and gruesome murder of Iniobong Umoren - a job seeker who met her untimely death while seeking greener pastures.

Situations like this are happening almost daily in Nigeria, and it is pertinent to understand that people like Iniobong's abductors are lurking around every neighborhood waiting for their next victim.

Anyone can be a molester—a neighbor, a relative, a family friend, a youth group leader, a teacher, and even a stranger.

Sometimes, we are more likely to be harmed by people we know than by strangers, more reasons we need to have clear safety rules both for strangers when we're are out and setting boundaries with people we know.

To protect ourselves and our families, here are a few tips I'd like to share.

LET SOMEONE KNOW WHERE YOU ARE GOING
If you must meet someone new, make sure someone knows where you’re going and who you’re meeting. Leave a message with a family member or friend where you’re headed and if possible, give the name of the person you’re about to meet and other details you might know.

DON'T GET TOO CLOSE TO STRANGERS
Don't share valuable information with people you don't know. Sometimes, be discreet with people you know! That stranger may be a kidnapper in disguise so avoid strictly any stranger that tries to move close to you unnecessarily.

KNOW YOUR NEIGHBOURS
To avoid living close to a potential kidnapper, get to know that person living close to you well. Find out if the person is living alone or not and the kind of job that person does for a living.

KEEP EMERGENCY NUMBERS
It is important to keep emergency numbers like numbers of the Police that you can quickly call whenever you sense you are being monitored or trapped, or you notice anything strange in your environment.

ALWAYS KEEP YOUR PHONE HANDY
Keeping your phone with you at all times is very important as it can be a source of help when you are in distress. Don’t just keep your phone with you but make sure you have airtime, no matter how little, it can be useful in times of danger.

RAISE ALARM WHEN YOU NOTICE A THREAT
Whenever you notice any threat, call people's attention by screaming or shouting. Keep doing this until you notice that people have gathered around you and can come to your rescue.

BE VIGILANT
Not only at night, but at all times! Abduction can occur at any time. Always be vigilant!

Last lines for job seekers...

While seeking employment, kindly note the following.

BE SKEPTICAL. If a job is offering a lot of money for very little work, it could be a scammer or a potential abductor trying to get personal information from you.

RESEARCH THE EMPLOYER. Do they have a reputable website or professional references? Is the job listing you want to apply for also on their main career page? Note what others are saying about the organization.

MEETING FACE-TO-FACE WITH AN EMPLOYER
*Be sure to choose a public place to meet, tell someone where you are going and carry your cell phone, just in case.

* Trust your instincts. If a job sounds too good to be true, it is likely a scam.

Iniobong's case is a pathetic, frightening reality and a parent's worst nightmare.

Akwaibomites at home and in the Diaspora should rise to condemn this sad development, even as we seek #JusticeForHinnyHumoren.

Yeah. But all these rules won't help when it's your Zero Hour. Life is too complicated for that. Time and chance happens to us all.

hedonido:
Yeah. But all these rules won't help when it's your Zero Hour. Life is too complicated for that. Time and chance happens to us all.

tnx for saying this....is just not to fall victim, he even wrote call the police.....lmao, very funny

Nigeria, very dangerous country like that.

To survive in this jungle, you need to always put your thinking cap at all times and think of possible outcomes.

you can never be too careful, the evil doors are always 10 steps ahead of you.

Best believe That.