PLACES of worship such as churches and mosques are traditionally regarded as places of peace. They are safe havens and sanctuaries for worshipping and experiencing God's love, mercy and grace. They are hallowed places and somewhat immune from the troubles, conflicts and violence of the world, including wars.However, recent events in Nigeria and other parts of the world, particularly, the serial attacks on churches in some parts of the country, appear to have fundamentally alter this age-long view.The choice of places of worship as attractive targets of attack by terror groups is obvious. Firstly, places of worship typically have limited protection measures. They are seen as venues for spiritual/religious enterprise and thus depend largely on spiritual protection. There are usually little or no forms of access controls, thus members are not required to produce any form of identification before entering the church or mosque. Physical security gadgets such as CCTV cameras are virtually non-existing. They are thus considered as soft targets by criminal elements.Secondly, churches and mosques provide a pool of large crowd. Consequently, the possibility of mass casualty in the event of an attack is high. This is a big attraction for terror groups.Thirdly, any attack on a place of worship is considered sacrilegious. It will therefore elicit mass condemnation and extensive media coverage. Terror groups savour such free and elaborate coverage.Fourthly, because of the sensitive nature of religion, an attack on a church or mosque can easily provoke hatred, suspicion and reprisals amongst the various religious groups. This can easily lead to a breakdown of law and order. Such state of lawlessness (even if temporary) fits squarely into the desire of terrorist organisations.In view of the above, conscious efforts must be made to reduce the risks of terrorist's attacks on our churches and mosques and also limit the damage usually associated with such attacks. Officials of our churches and mosques, particularly those in high risk areas, must be encouraged to work closely with the Police and other security agencies in formulating pro-active measures that could help in preventing and managing incidences of attack on our places of worship.Below are some of our recommended security tips:' Officials of churches and mosques are advised to carry out risk assessment and vulnerability surveys. This will enable them determine the level of risk they are exposed to. Factors to be considered in carrying out such assessments include: location of the church/mosque, analysis of its neighbourhood demography, size and architectural design of the church/mosque, population of the members, nature of access roads to the place, etc.'Churches and Mosques should establish Standard Security and Safety Committee. Members should be volunteers with impeccable background and a passion for safety and security.Courtesy: CSP Frank E. MbaDeputy Force PPRO
Click here to read full news..
