Nigerian kidnappings

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Nigeria is no doubt becoming one of the world’s hottest spots for kidnappings and tourist attacks. The Liberty whitepaper reported that Nigeria has a very high risk of kidnapping especially in the hot spots of the Niger Delta boarder and northern Nigeria.

The target industries include mining, transportation and construction workers. International employees working in the oil industry are also becoming at high risk for kidnapping. Nigerian kidnappings are the most dangerous, including the abduction of the Chibok girls who still haven’t returned home.

In recent news, a German national was kidnapped in Nigeria on the 16th of July 2014. The man was abducted outside of his residence when he was leaving in the neighbourhood of Anguwan Faransa. The Liberty whitepaper also indicates that locations prone to kidnappings include workplaces, hotels and in transit. The German national is an instructor of a government-run technical school.

Reports by witnesses indicate that the kidnapping was carried out by approximately 20 militants on motorcycles. Although no group has admitted or taken responsibility for the abduction yet, Adamawa, where Anguwan Faransa is centralised, is a throttlehold for the notorious Islamist group Boko Haram.There are other militant groups active in the state of Adamawa.

Kidnappings in Nigeria and other African countries are on the rise and with the failure to capture and prosecute the groups involved, it is only getting worse.

During our H.E.A.T course we will teach you about the selection and surveillance of target during  kidnappings scenarios. We also cover the Psychology of survival in our survival manual. BOOK our kidnap mitigation course today and DOWNLOAD our manual to learn about surviving a kidnap scenario.

 

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Basic self-defence tips

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There are countless reasons we can think of to convince you why you should learn even the most basic self-defence skills or tools that can come in very handy. Whether you do not feel safe walking alone or you would like to be able to protect a loved one in unfortunate events, this is a post for everyone.

Physical violence occurs anywhere at any time. Sometimes it is predicted but in most cases it is not. In the modern world of technology, people are so distracted when in public space, constantly referring to their cell phones, iPads or listening to music on their headsets. These incidents are not only distracting you from your surroundings but they are also an attraction to criminal attacks.

Here are some basic self-defence tips you should think of next time you are walking in an uneasy space:

  • Prevention is the best way. Always be aware of your surroundings while walking or even driving and always be alert and awake at   all times.
  • If you are in a building and you have an anxious feeling about the person you are in the elevator with, prevent them from attacking you by stopping at every floor.
  • React as early as possible before an attack can gain full control over you. Attack first the vulnerable parts of the body which include, nose, eyes, throat, groin, knees and stomach.
  • Use your elbows, knees and head to attack. These parts of your body are more effective to inflict pain.
  • Use everyday objects as weapons that can be found in the environment around you such as keys, pen, rolled newspaper as a baton, you can also throw some sand in the attacker’s eyes or use your spray or perfume.

Remember that all fighting skills depend on balance. These are just basic self-defence tips that you can use in your daily life. However, in our H.E.A.T Manual we take you step by step on how to effectively defend yourself in seriously hostile attacks.

Our comprehensive basic self-defence skills will give you a physical strategy you should follow if you find yourself in a physical predicament.

DOWNLOAD our H.E.A.T survival manual today and learn more about effective basic self-defence skills.

 

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Terrorist attacks on Kenya

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The coast of Kenya is the one part of the country that is considered to be dependent of tourism to maintain its economic growth. However, tourist attraction regions are plagued with violent terrorist attacks on Kenya that have been blamed on Islamist militants.

In September 2013, Kenya’s biggest shopping mall in the capital city of Nairobi was attacked by Al-Shabaab militants. The gunmen attacked the populated mall killing 67 civilians in what was considered the country’s worst incident since the 1998 bombing of the US embassy that killed more than 200 people. These are only some of the biggest terrorist attacks on Kenya in recent years.

In 2014, a grenade attack hit a tourist resort bar in a popular coastal resort town in Kenya. It was reported that the attack was executed by two men on motorbikes who drove passed the resort bar and threw grenades at the customers inside the bar.

The crowded bar, called Tandoori situated in the Indian Ocean of Diani, was attacked in the early hours of a Thursday afternoon. The two men on the back of the motorbikes fled before the police could arrive at the scene. The sudden attack left 10 people injured, at least one victim was seriously injured and had to go for surgery at a nearby hospital.

Terrorist attacks on Kenya and other African countries are increasing by the day. Al-Qaeda militants are spreading across the world, including Al-Shabaab that has recently launched at attack on the Somalian presidential palace. In our H.E.A.T Manual, we cover a full module on the different makes of bombs. We also cover medical emergency procedures you should follow during a bomb injury.

DOWNLOAD our ultimate survival manual and learn more about emergency medicine today!

 

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Kidnap and exploitation of women

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Kidnap and exploitation of women in Africa and other parts of the world is increasing by the day. Here is a brief post on some of the kidnap and exploitation of women in and around Africa.

Inside the islands of India, Andaman Islands’ Jarawa tribe have been experiencing a host of incidents linked to kidnapping and exploitation. In early 2014, the Jawara tribe reported to authorities eight women missing. The eight women’s incident was reported following a string of extreme sexual exploitation of Jawara women.

Seven men were arrested following the report of the alleged abducted and kidnapped vulnerable Jarawa women. It is reported that the Jarawa tribe “have only had friendly interaction with their neighbours since 1998 and are highly vulnerable to exploitation, diseases, and dependency on goods such as alcohol brought in by outsiders”. It was found that the women were being enticed with alcohol and used by poachers for hunting and gathering inside the tribe’s reserve.

Kidnap and exploitation of women in poverty stricken environments is irrevocably increasing. Other motives may include human trafficking, slavery and sexual labour. In Africa, kidnapping motives may vary for different reasons, some include, political reasons, exchange of terrorist group members, as well as power over land.

In recent news, kidnap and exploitation of women has taken centre stage in Africa and around the world. The Boko Haram kidnapping is still one of the most highly sought after kidnapping scenarios across the globe, with a whopping 200 and more girls kidnapped. According to Warontherocks.com, more than 600 people have been victims of Boko Haram through kidnappings and terrorists acts across Nigeria and other parts of Africa.

Kidnapping is clearly a rising money-making tragedy in Africa. During our 2 day Kidnap Mitigation course we offer practical scenarios and excises that can prepare one for a potential kidnapping situation. BOOK YOUR COURSE TODAY and learn how to return to the safety of your loved ones in hostile environments.

 

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Al-Shaab attacks in Africa

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Al-Shaab attacks in Africa
Notorious rebel group Al-Shaab has once again proved that it is a force that will do whatever it takes to get its point across. The Somalia-based cell of the militant Islamist group Al-Qaeda took centre stage in the news in the first week of July 2014 when it was reported that a major bomb and armed assault was carried out against the presidential palace in Somalia. The famous militant attackers managed to infiltrate the heavily-fortified complex of the presidential palace before blowing themselves up.

Officials reported that there at least nine attackers who were all killed in the tragic attack. The officials also went on to say that “there were eight blasts towards the end of the fighting, believed to have been suicide vests. They detonated themselves”. However, President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and Prime Minister Abdiweli Sheikh Ahmed were not inside or anywhere near the presidential palace when the incident occurred, therefore both men were unharmed. Sources from the security force reported that both the President and the Prime Minister were protected by guards from the African Union’s 22 000 strong AMISOM force.

Al-Shaab spokesman Abdulaziz Abu Musab told AFP that “”Our commandos are inside the so-called presidential office”. During confirmation and admission the proud spokesman added, “The enemy suffered high casualties during the operation, which is ongoing. The assault is a victory for us since the foreign installed government said that security was beefed up”. Police and authorities conducted investigations on numbers of casualties and the types of bombs used. Nicholas Kay, UN’s top envoy to Somalia condemned the attack on Somalia’s government.

Militant rebel groups are continuously attacking different regions on Africa. PURCHASE OUR SURVIVAL MANUAL TODAY and you can learn about the different attacks, bombs and blasts that happen in Africa on page 25 of our survival manual.

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The fight to survive mentally – mental fitness

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After experiencing a traumatic experience such as being held captive in a hostage or kidnap situation, it is important to keep your mind fit and healthy.

Here are some tips on how you can fight to survive mentally in a hostile environment by keeping your priorities straight and not losing hope.

What would you do if you were stuck in a deserted hostile environment with little to no food, no shelter and no idea of your location? Well, most people would panic at the first instance; however, the right approach to this scenario would be to stay mentally fit. Besides avoiding getting captured, it is also important to learn how to survive mentally in case you do get captured. In this article we are going to briefly discuss mental fitness in a hostile environment.

Strong mental fitness:
In kidnap scenarios, only the strong will survive. Often, the biggest obstacles captives face is psychological obstacles. They are drawn deep into the fear of the unknown, stressing over things that are beyond your control, anger at being trapped in the dilemma and blame. It important to remember that these feelings are normal, however, dwelling on these feelings can be overwhelming. If you continue to engage in these negative feelings, you can be paralyzed by depression and indecisiveness.

At the John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School at Fort Bragg, the vast Army base where soldiers train for three years to join Special Forces, they practice and suggest the SERE stage which stands for Survival, Evasion, Resistance, and Escape. The instructors of SERE advise that you should keep your priorities straight which include your major needs such as food, water and shelter.

Since surviving takes practice and whilst the ability to make fire is a great lifesaver, here is the survival acronym the Army’s uses according to Special Forces in the USA:

S -Size up the situation
U – Use all your senses
R – Remember where you are
V – Vanquish fear and panic
I – Improvise
V – Value living.
A – Act like the natives.
L – Live by your wits

In our H.E.A.T course we cover the Psychology of survival in hostile in environments. BOOK YOUR COURSE TODAY and learn how to mentally survive in hostile environments in Africa.

You can also PURCHASE AND DOWNLOAD OUR MANUAL and learn more about the Psychology of survival.

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Kidnapping in the mining and oil industry

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Kidnapping in the mining and oil industry is very high in some African countries. Matthew Maguireo managed to return from the gruesome experience of kidnapping in the mining and oil industry of the Niger Delta.

The risks and possibilities of kidnappings are extremely high when travelling in Africa, especially when one is working in the mining and oil industry. Matthew Maguireo of Yanchep was working in Nigeria and held captive for nine gruelling months. When a man kicked in a door and started spraying AK47 around the room, missing Matthew’s foot by an inch, he thought this was the beginning of the end of his life.

The armed men walked in the room and robbed everything belonging to Matthew and other foreign key personnel and referred to them as “white gold”. The father of four was working in Nigeria when he was captured along with 27 other oil workers en-route to an oil rig in the Niger Delta and held hostage for nine months.

The men were taken deep into the jungle with speedboats, within 24 hours they were surrounded by more than 50 armed men cheering. Matthew and other international employees of the oil industry were held hostage by the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND). Matthew, who is originally from the UK, later found out that he, along other oil workers were held hostage in exchange of the MEND leader Henry Okah who was arrested in Nigeria for arms trafficking.

For long nine months, Matthew was beaten, threatened with death and even forced to starve. Every day he woke up thinking about what he could do to survive, so he collected water from rain in discarded bottles to keep him alive. With his family not aware of his status and whether or not he was still alive, Matthew was continuously lied to about his release date. Taken by a speedboat to an island off the coast, Matthew was finally released after nine months of torture.

Kidnapping in the mining and oil industry are very high in countries like Nigeria and Niger and the locations usually include workplaces, hotels and transit. During our H.E.A.T courses we specialize in kidnapping in the mining and oil industry to equip key personnel travelling to high risk countries with the necessary tools and knowledge to survive.

BOOK OUR 2 DAY KIDNAP MITIGATION H.E.A.T COURSE TODAY and learn how to return!

 

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