Safety Assessment Guide

## What Parents Should Worry About - **Cultism** — most prevalent in older federal and state universities in the South-South and South-West. Less in private universities. - **Kidnap for ransom** — concentrated in the North-West, parts of the North-East, and a few rural campus highways. - **Hostel break-ins & robbery** — most common in off-campus accommodation near every institution. - **Sexual harassment** — occurs everywhere; institutional response is the differentiator. - **Road accidents on long-distance routes** — for students travelling home and back. ## 12 Questions to Ask Every Institution 1. How many students were victims of any crime on or near campus in the past 12 months? 2. Is the institution gated, with controlled vehicle and pedestrian entry 24/7? 3. Are hostels patrolled at night? By the school's own security or external? 4. Is there a working CCTV system covering hostels, gates, and main thoroughfares? 5. Is the campus medical centre 24/7? Can it handle emergency stabilisation before transfer? 6. Is there a documented incident-reporting process? Does it work? 7. What's the relationship with the local police? Response time? 8. What's the policy on cultism? Is it enforced? 9. Are women's hostels physically separated and securely accessed? 10. Is night-time movement between hostels and lecture halls supervised? 11. What's the lighting like across campus after 7 PM? 12. Has the school had a kidnapping incident in the past 5 years? Internal or near campus? ## Red Flags - Cannot or won't answer questions 1–4 directly. - 'We have never had a problem' (every institution has incidents — they're hiding the data). - Hostels with broken gates, no security personnel, no CCTV. - Off-campus accommodation is the only option, in known unsafe neighbourhoods. - Recent cult clash reports in local news. ## High-Risk Areas to Be Aware Of (as of recent reporting) - North-West (Kaduna, Zamfara, Sokoto, Katsina, Niger): increased rural kidnap risk on transit routes. - Parts of the North-East: ongoing security volatility. - Some rural campuses on isolated highways with poor escort options. Note: this does NOT mean your child should avoid these institutions outright. Many have excellent on-campus security despite regional risk. Ask the specific questions above. ## What to Do as a Parent - Visit before final commitment. - Walk the hostels, the road from the main gate to the academic blocks, the cafeteria. - Talk to current parents — not the school's PR team. - Establish a daily check-in routine with your child once they're enrolled. - Buy a basic safety kit: pepper spray (where legal), a small whistle, a doorstop alarm for hostel doors. - Pre-pay a known taxi driver for trips between campus and the airport / bus park. ## Insurance & Emergency Planning - Consider student personal-accident insurance. Costs ₦5k–₦15k/year. - Keep a copy of admission letter, ID card, NIN, and emergency contacts in two places (digital + physical). - Programme local police station number into your child's phone. Safety isn't paranoia — it's planning. Ask the questions. Look at the answers. Make an informed decision.