Except you are currently holding a political position or you were once a high profile past political leader; the possibility of having full physical security to provide you with 24/7 protection will be NIL.

Even if you have that 24 hours physical security, it would be impossible to secure that service to your grandmother in the village; your daughter in private school and your partner travelling to private functions all around Nigeria.

You are one step away from being a target of kidnappers if you don't develop an effective Preventive Kidnapping Strategy.

Celebrity refers to the fame and public attention accorded by the media to individuals. Although the term “celebrity” is often intended to refer to famous individuals, it is also commonly used to refer to anyone who has had any moderate public attention in media, regardless of how well-known they are beyond their niche.

So in a Nigeria context, the following individuals working in specific roles or industry would normally be deemed a celebrity because of the media exposure they are linked with:

•News Anchors/Presenters

•CEOs/Directors of banks

•Nollywood Actors/Actresses and others in the entertainment industry

•Government Officials holding sensitive positions and politicians

It is important that people that are always in the public eye develop a ‘Counter Kidnapping Risk Assessment Report’ to determine the level of their vulnerability and other members of their family that requires risk assessment. Celebrities who are parents should vet their drivers, housemaid and other workers around them that provide sensitive task for them.

The following are 10 ways celebrities could prevent themselves and their family members been abducted or kidnapped by criminals:

1. Don’t reveal sensitive information about your family on social platform.

2. Never reveal location of your house on Facebook or other social platforms.

3. Don’t tell people you don’t know about the route you take to your workplace or home.

4. Regularly change your travelling pattern.

5. Don’t post intimate pictures of yourself and family members online.

6. Create general email that you give out to the public and have a personal email account restricted to your close circle.

7. Switch on your phone tracker to ensure that you can be traced quickly if kidnapped

8. Have a distress code you give to selected individuals so that they can tell if you are sending them coded messages that you are in trouble.

9. If you patronise a specific hotel regularly, then ensure you change your hotel room regularly.

10. Programme some contact numbers on your phone for emergency situations.

If you need assistance in the development of a ‘Preventive Kidnapping Strategy’ then contact me!

•Temitope Olodo (shown in photo) is a Preventive Terrorism Expert, Author and Chair of Nigeria Diaspora Security Forum (UK). He can be reached via yolodo@yahoo.com

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