Security in Nigeria

I posted before about SA vs. Nigeria on crime – SA is more random and violent, Nigerian crime (pertaining to foreigners) is more targeted.

I got intermittent security reports from our security contractor while I was there. There seemed to be about a kidnapping every 2 weeks in Edo State, where I was. True to form, almost all were targeted – entering a house and kidnapping a popular pastor’s wife, for example. (Pastors can make good money here.) We had Mobile Police (police toting AK-47s) initially but ditched them because they made us stick out like a sore thumb. Shortly after I left someone at our client company was kidnapped. He was released after paying approximately half of the ransom initially demanded.

Things are heating up in part because of the elections, so in addition to normal crime politically fractious groups are now more active because they will get press and have influence.