The Temptation to Fight Crime Myself… and the Harsh Nigerian Reality

Becoming a crime-fighting vigilante if money is not a limitation sounds like a good idea, at least to first protect my family and then extend it to my neighborhood . But then, how far can I go as a single person to fight this in a country where the people that are supposed to do the fighting for us act like we are disturbing their peace sometimes?

I made the last statement above because the last time a friend of mine lost his phone in a big market here in Lagos, she ran to the police to report the case immediately but was given a cold attitude by the police. They were like, Lady, we don't chase phone thieves; go after them if you can or buy another one. No concern, no nothing, and the thieves escaped and joined the crowd for his next mission.

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This example might look simple, but this similar thing is why people take laws into their hands these days to protect themselves from evil people around them. Most times, these authorities aren't just available for the citizens; either they are overwhelmed or act uninterested in certain cases due to how little they are being paid for their services.

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The truth is that the temptation to handle security myself will be so strong if I see myself become very wealthy tomorrow, not for my name to be heard in my neighborhood but to really fight for safety for humanity. Take practical actions such as installing security cameras on our major streets, sponsoring all these private security men patrolling at night in communities, or even training some youths to assist in watching the neighborhood, as well as providing an emergency line that will be active 24/7 where anyone can report any suspicious crime-related activities. These are nice structures to curb crime if money isn't an object, and by then, we see money doing what our leaders have refused to do.

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But let's be realistic; my country is the type where sometimes doing the right thing can put you into big trouble. What if in the process of me acting as a crime-fighting vigilante, exposing some kind of person, confronting the wrong group, or even exposing all these illegal hustlers, I may just wake up to see myself locked up instead, or maybe I will start trending on social media for the wrong reasons. By then, those authorities claiming they aren't interested in certain security will wake up to their duties.

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I wouldn't want to get frustrated by the system fighting crime alone no matter how wealthy I become, but rather use my influence to reduce crimes.

Come to think of it, why is it that estates gather to structure security for their safety? Communities, too, create vigilante groups because of the way police respond slowly most times. These people have been succeeding because of how structured they are with the security project. So it's not about being wealthy and maybe trying to become a superhero in fighting crime alone; it's about structure.

In a nutshell, I wouldn't rely on corrupt authorities totally, and I wouldn't fight them either, but I would work with them when necessary.
At the end of the day, the reality is that crime is everyone’s problem, but you don't fight it blindly no matter your wealth; it can be dangerous.

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Overall, if I had all the money, I would simply find ways to strengthen security by supporting the system where necessary and create more opportunities for the society to enjoy; by then, the crime rate will be reduced in the process, and it becomes a win-win.

Images were taken from canva