Introduction

Every organization has a duty to protect employees and visitors while on their premises. A detailed security plan is necessary in order to protect properties and lives. The objectives of a security plan are to deter, delay, detect, deny, respond to and recover from reasonably foreseeable loss events. These objectives cannot be met by simply installing intruder alarms and CCTV systems. Implementing these sorts of security strategies can be costly and ineffective without first understanding what your protection needs are and what you expect security strategies to accomplish. There are however basic steps that you can take with assistance from an experienced security consultant to help you understand just what it is that a security plan can do for you and the security strategies needed to help your organisation protect assets.

1. Conduct a Security Survey.

The security survey consists of an on-site examination to determine existing security measures and to identify vulnerabilities. This survey will help determine the level of protection needed and it will also be helpful in recommending measures to enhance overall security during the risk analysis process. A survey should be done prior to purchasing security equipment or changing an existing security process or system. It is conducted by an experienced security consultant along with someone familiar with the property and daily operations at your facility.

2. Form a Security Team.

This security team is made up of key department heads familiar with day to day activities of your organisation and property. This team will work together under the leadership of the security consultant to conduct the security risk analysis.

3. Conduct a Security Risk Analysis.

The security risk analysis process is broken down into two components; the risk assessment component and the risk management component.

Risk Assessment.

Risk assessment identifies threats that could impact your assets, the probability and likelihood of these threats occurring and their impact on people, property, information and reputation of your organisation. A few examples of threats that can occur at a premises are: theft, terrorist attack, vandalism, arson, assaults and fire.

Risk management.

Risk management determines cost effective security strategies to mitigate threats and reduce vulnerabilities. One security strategy that is often implemented without proper evaluation is the implementation of a CCTV system. While this security strategy may be helpful, an experienced security manager or consultant understands the importance of conducting a security risk analysis prior to adding equipment, services or changing a security process. Making change without appropriate analysis may create liability as well as prove ineffective.

Asset protection

After the security survey, the in house security team will consider the assets that need to be protected. Assets are people, property, information and reputation of an organization. When thinking about assets and subsequent impact from a threat, consider the difficulty and cost of replacing damaged or lost items and the harm and impact that a loss event can have on the reputation of your organisation. Assets are ranked in order of monetary value and people are ranked the most valuable asset.

Threats and probability assessment

The next step is to identify threats that can impact your organisation. Threats are normally associated with humans and can either be intentional or unintentional. Your security team with the support of the security consultant will then decide the likelihood and probability for these threats occurring. The information will then be ranked on a scale of 1 to 5, with 1 being the least likely to occur and 5 being the most likely. What do you consider a reasonable likelihood for each threat to occur? If you think after reviewing the aforementioned information that the likelihood is low, then rank the threat or hazard low.

The same process is followed for the probability of occurrence. However, on the probability side think about your security plan, security strategies, procedures, emergency plans and other operational processes that are in place to prevent or mitigate loss events or the lack of these things that would leave your operation more vulnerable to the loss event. If you think that you are lacking in processes and procedures, leaving your business more vulnerable to a threat then you would rank the probability of the threat occurring on the high side with 5 being the highest ranking.

Impact assessment

Next your security team and your consultant will consider the impact of each threat to your organisation. If the impact is considered high, then rate as 5 and if on the low side then rank as 1. Consider the value in dollars as well as harm to the reputation of your organisation when ranking impact. Your team will then rank the impact on others on a 1-5 scale considering the harm to individuals and to the victims. The impact to others can be different than the impact to your business. For example the impact of damage to an employee’s car while in your parking may be ranked as a 3 by the car owner but the impact to your business may be ranked as a 1.

Once these scores are totalled across your chart, you will select security strategies to prevent or mitigate damage from each threat or loss event. You will first focus on the highest ranked threats.

Remember, security strategies are designed to detect, deter, delay, deny, respond to and recover from a loss event. When selecting security strategies, you will consider:

1. Implementation cost.
2. Maintenance cost.
3. Attractiveness of asset.
4. The likelihood of the strategy preventing the threat or mitigating the impact.
5. The cost benefit of the strategy. You would not select a N20,000 strategy to protect an asset from a threat that could cost N50.00 with a low probability of occurrence.

Security maintenance

The final and most often over-looked part of the security risk analysis is the maintenance phase. All too often cameras and alarms are added and procedures are put in place to increase protection but these systems and procedures are then neglected. An on-going audit and review program to ensure compliance with policies and procedures designed to protect assets, an emergency plan for all major events that could occur, and education and training programs to promote security awareness are essential for the success of any security program and the key is that these actions must be on-going.

How many times do we read that an organisation had the best CCTV and or alarm equipment only to learn that the system was not working. Unfortunately a malfunctioning security system is often discovered only after a serious breach of security has occurred.

Great Heights Nigeria is available to work with any Nigerian based organisation to deliver, end to end security risk analysis and other related services for all sizes of organisations.

Great Heights Nigeria specialises in security management training and consultancy services, our team of highly experienced security practitioners are drawn from the UK, Qatar and Nigeria. We currently work with churches and business establishments in Nigeria around the issues of counter terrorism. Great Heights Nigeria is part of Great heights Training UK, a UK registered and accredited global company that delivers a range of accredited and non accredited training programs for organisations in Africa, Europe, Middle East and South Asia.

For more information

Great Heights Nigeria

Nigeria: 08082776955, 08035976499

UK: +44 203 086 7661

Email: tunde@greatheightstraining.co.uk

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GHT Certificate in

Church Security Management

(BTEC Level 4 equivalent)

5 Saturdays Course

Why this course

GHT Certificate in church security management provides the essential introduction to the main ideas, techniques and issues that are at the heart of professional security management designed specifically for churches in Nigeria today. The course covers a range of professional and practical subject areas ideal for security managers that work in churches. This unique course was developed using international security management standards and also the UK BTEC Level 4 in security management curriculum.

Attendees will learn how to identify security issues and develop deep understanding of risks, causes and prevention of crime, they will also counter surveillance and counter terrorism systems design , implementation and management. This is the first security management course designed exclusively for churches in Nigeria.

Facilitators

This course is delivered by experienced security experts who have extensive experience in security management in churches here in Nigeria and abroad. Our team of facilitators also have strong background in the military, para military, academic and professional security management.

Who will benefit

The course will be of immediate benefit to those working as chief security officers, head of security departments, members of security committees and others in similar capacities in churches across Nigeria, or those seeking to make a career in security management.

Course Content

• Developing Security Risk Management Strategy
• Security Operations Management
• Security Survey, Assessment and Design
• Perimeter & Buildings Security
• Access Control Management
• Introduction to Investigations
• Protection against Explosive Devices
• Integrating IT and Physical security
• Manpower Management & Managing Guarding Operations
• Protection of Sensitive Information
• Protection of Church Personnel at risk
• Emergency and Crisis Management
• Writing Effective Security Reports
• Practical Project

Dates:

Lagos: Starting day – Saturday February 9^th 2013 (over 5 Saturdays)

Abuja: Starting day – Saturday 2^nd March 2013 (over 5 Saturdays)

Venue

Lagos and Abuja (Venues to be revealed only to registered attendees for security reasons)

Course Cost

N65,000 – The cost is inclusive of all course materials, refreshments and lunch.

 Course Booking Lines: 08170695600, 08082776955,

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Two day training for church protocol officers

Minimum number of delegates required to run this course is 10

Introduction:

The Church in Nigeria is going through a phase that requires us not only to pray but to also be watchful. The senior pastor and his or her family are called to play a very special role in the church and they are always targets for the enemy. They need to be covered regularly both spiritually and physically. Most churches use volunteers who are not trained as protection detail for their senior pastor, the problem is that such churches do not realise that they have a problem until something happens.

Course Objective

The purpose of this course is to upgrade the level of close protection of the senior pastor of the church, his family and also special guests/VIPs that visit the church. After the training, delegates will be able to

• Use the most secure escort formation used to protect top VIPs around the world
• How perform thorough search of premises and vehicles to be used by the “Principal”,
• How to disarm and combat assailants at close range
• How to identify and respond to suspect packages
• Other essential executive body guarding skills.

Who Should Attend

This course is designed for the church protocol team who have the job of protecting the senior pastor and VIP visitors to the church. The head of security and ushering departments will also benefit from the skills taught in the course.

Course Content

1. Importance of close protection in the church
2. Objective of close protection in the church
3. Briefing and debriefing
4. Route and premises search

4. Standard Escort Formations
5. Bomb Awareness (Improvised Explosive Devices – IEDs)
6. Physical restraints and self defence tactics
7. Surveillance and counter surveillance
8. Non lethal weapons
9. VIP Protection Equipment

Course Delivery Mode

The course is practical in nature so attendees can practice the various procedures being taught during the session making it easy to apply the skills immediately. We also use videos and case studies to impact the skills.

Certification

All delegates who complete the course will receive a certificate of completion issued by our UK Company – Great Heights Training UK.

Facilitators

Our two day training will be delivered by our team of experienced and qualified security trainers both from the UK and Nigeria.

Date: OPEN

Time: 9 am to 5pm Daily

Venue: OPEN

Training Cost Breakdown

This course is delivered in-house with at least 10 delegates.  N24,870 each

Bookings need to be accompanied with a payment of 50% of the total cost of the training and balance is payable on the day of training.

Booking Procedure: Contact numbers: 08170695600, 08082776955, or 08035976499

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One day in-house training for church workers

Introduction

Change is the only constant in life and churches in Nigeria are being forced to rethink their understanding and implementation of security issues across board. It’s not just the security staff and volunteers that need to be security conscious, all church workers need to know and understand the basic principles of security especially the counter terrorism aspects. It is not enough to expect workers to use their initiatives, they all need to be empowered with the knowledge that will make them more effective as those responsible for taking care of the security and safety of the church members.

What attendees will learn.

Counter Terrorism Awareness in-House training (CTA) is designed to help church workers to understand the basic principles of security in the church. The need to be vigilant, how to identify unusual behaviours, how to identify and respond to suspect packages, how to communicate with church members and other essential topics. This training will help attendees to be more aware of security related issues in the church and how to respond in case of emergency.

This course will -

• Equip the church security team and church workers with knowledge of how to prevent security lapses in the church.

• Empower them with profiling and security intelligence skills required for identifying people who are potential enemies

• Enlighten them about explosives, how to identify them and what to do if they find any.

• Educate them on processes and procedures they need to follow to tackle various situations

Course objectives.

This one day training will cover practical topics that will ensure that all workers in the church can effectively carry out basic security functions in their various department if and when required.

Who should attend

While the training is geared towards security teams, protocol, ushers and parking attendants, we want to encourage all workers in the church to attend so they can apply the same principles in their various departments.

Course content

1. Suspect profiling

This is one of the most important tools used by security forces all over the world, this crucial intelligence training will help to avert all kinds of criminal activities without disruption to church services. Attendees will learn how to recognise unusual behaviours in people and suspect packages, they will also learn the correct method of responding to such.

2. Searching people

Searching people in a church environment can be seen as intrusive and can be frowned upon by the church leadership but there are non intrusive methods and procedures for conducting searches when deemed important. This session will cover getting permission before searches, searching bags and cars, search using scanners, dealing with dangerous items found during searches and others.

3. Identifying suspect packages

Workers in the church need to be able to identify suspect packages and know how to respond when they do. This session deals with various types of explosives and how to identify them, its also covers the various types of packaging that can be used to conceal explosives.

4. Conflict management

All workers dealing with church members need to understand conflict prevention and management procedures. The training will cover dynamic risk / threat assessment, de-escalation and other important aspect of this topic.

5. Emergency procedure

It is important for all workers to be aware of the church emergency procedure which may include fire alerts, bomb alerts, serious crimes and others. This session will cover some elements of crowd control and evacuation procedures.

6. Communication skills

It is important that while workers are dealing with church members that they are courteous and patient especially when the members are required to be subjected to searches and other procedure. The session will cover communications with other team members and also communications with church members. They will also learn about verbal and non verbal communications.

Course delivery mode

The course is vocational and practical in nature so attendees can practice the various procedures being taught during the session. All attendees will also have their own full colour 128 page workbooks that can also be used as security reference manual after the training.

Certification

This course is part of the compulsory training required by UK law to be taken by all security personnel’s practicing in the UK. Certificate of completion from our UK company – Great Heights Training UK will be given to each attendee at the end of the training.

Facilitators

Our one day in-house training will be delivered by at least two of our experienced and qualified security trainers.

Training Cost Breakdown – including security officers book

20 Delegates N14,000 each N280,000

30 Delegates N12,000 each N360,000

50 Delegates N10,000 each N500,000

Training Cost Breakdown – without the course book, printed hand outs will be provided

20 Delegates N10,500 each N210,000

30 Delegates N8,500 each N255,000

50 Delegates N6,500 each N325,000

The Church will need to provide a conducive venue and refreshments for delegates. We offer 10% for all bookings made in June 2012. Bookings need to be accompanied with a payment of 75% of the total cost of the training and balance is payable 7days before the training date.

Booking Procedure

Please complete the form below or contact a member of our team for a face to face pre service meeting. (Contact numbers 08136500570, 08082776955, 08035976499 or 08023271582)

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There are numerous vehicle related attack restrictions and protection mechanisms that can be put in place around churches especially during services. The underlying factor to consider as we explorer these points is this, if a car loaded with explosives goes off at the main gate of your church, what would be the impact on lives and buildings around? The key to this is to make sure that unidentified cars cannot come close to your building or you introduce systems that will reduce the impact if such happens. It is also important to note that a number of assessments needs to be carried out before the right strategy can be adopted, these includes – generally vulnerability assessment, traffic flow assessment and others. The best and the most effective form of protection in this case has to be a multiple layer security approach, this means that for every identified loop hole in your protection you will have several solutions implemented. If one method fails, the others will support and hold your defense.

1. Church Car Parking Restrictions – Where possible the church can create a no car zone near the church premises, this method will ensure that only specific cars are allowed near the church premises. This is not just a matter of putting up “No Entry” signs, this solution needs to be backed by other layers of protection which will be discussed below. Church members may not particularly like this change but like all types of changes the objectives needs to be communicated clearly and everyone needs to be taken along.

2. Anti-Ram Vehicle Barriers – One of the most effective defence mechanisms against vehicle borne improvised explosive devises (or VBIEDs) are anti-ram devices. They help in deterring, delaying and denying intruders. They are generally made of concrete or metal, they can be static or dynamic in nature and they prevent vehicles loaded with explosives from forcefully entering your premises. Gates and weak fences are not strong enough to prevent this type of attacks. The location of these anti-ram devices are quite important which is why a comprehensive assessment needs to be carried out before implementation.

3. Effective car searching – I have visited a number of high risk and high target sites across Nigeria and it is sad to say that only a handful of locations were able to conduct effective searches on my vehicle. Where under vehicle mirrors are being used, operatives are sometimes just caring out a mechanical process, some officers were not even looking at the mirror at all. In places where in-car searches were done, content of suitcases and other containers in the boot were not searched. I don’t even remember if any of the operatives check my engine compartments at all, despite the fact that there have been instances here in Nigeria where guns hidden in the engine were used to commit atrocities. There are a number of cost effective manual and high-tech solutions that can be implemented in churches, the most important being man power training and procedure design.

4. Other solutions – there are other effective solutions that will be discussed in subsequent issues of this publication.

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Our response to the BH problem in Nigeria has been haphazard and all over the place at best, there is no visible coherent effort to unite and collectively deal with this issue. While there are efforts by various Christian organisations including Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) and Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN) to respond positively using various avenues including working with the government, we are yet to see a proactive and bold leadership in the area of strategy development, training and equipping the church to deal with this challenge.

The need to develop a central and overarching strategy for the protection of churches in Nigeria is now urgent, the enemy seems to find it easy to walk into any church and blow it up without much resistance. We must remember that we are dealing with a determined enemy that is ready to achieve its aim at any cost. Most of the protective measures in Nigerian churches were developed before the Boko Haram attacks and they are focused on securing against theft and intruders. Our current security strategies and skills level in the industry are mainly still pre Boko Haram, my question is this. How can we beat the enemy when our strategies are still so far behind?

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We must be ready to change the way we approach security in our churches if we are to successfully beat the enemy and stop them from walking all over us. I have heard many ministers use the scripture “the weapons of our warfare is not carnal …” as reasons for not taking counter terrorism initiatives seriously but the same ministers lock their cars and lock there homes with the best security equipment that they can afford. Securing the lives of our parishioners against terrorist attacks and kidnapping for example are higher priority than securing properties. God answers our prayers sometimes by giving us practical instructions which are “carnal”, and by acting on them we get the solutions that we need. The best time to think seriously about security is not when threats are very close, we need to be forward thinking and proactive long before risks become reality. We cannot continue to do the same thing and expect a different result, it’s time to change.

The UK government made a lot serious policy and practical changes to various areas of their security provision after the series of bomb attacks on London and one of the main areas they focused on was security personnel licensing and training. They realised that sophisticated security equipments are useless unless they are managed by competent and vigilant personnel. All security officers in the UK now have to take a compulsory course and register with the appropriate bodies before working in the industry, this policy amongst others helped to raise the standard of security provision across the country. We understand that implementing similar protocols can be challenging in Nigeria and that it is a long term solution that needs to be undertaken by the Nigerian government but we can apply the same principle in upgrading the standard of security provision in churches across Nigeria.

The need for change in the thinking towards security provision in our churches needs to come from the church leadership and communicated down to church workers and also church members. Knowledge they say is power, a church where the knowledge of security functions lies only with the chief security officer will be full of security personnel who don’t a have a clue how to do their jobs properly. You see security officers that are reduced to the role of “Gatemen”, a gateman cannot protect your property or the lives of your congregation. The difference between a gateman and a security officer is the knowledge that they have about security funtions.

We can beat terrorism but in other to do so we need to change our thinking and our approach to general church security. The requirements for securing your church property against theft is completely different from protecting the lives of the parishioners against terrorist attacks. We seem to have put our faith in the police, the military or the security outfits. They are doing a great job don’t get me wrong but only a small number of security personnel in Nigeria have the right kind of training required for dealing with current security issues to the scale we are experiencing now. The Jihadist warfare is both physical and psychological and the church needs to wake up quickly to reposition it’s entire thinking process and stay ahead of the game.

The Churches in the southern part of Nigeria are in my view quite complacent and they have the opinion that they are not at risk of terrorist attacks. While this may seem true on the surface, the various mechanisms for measuring this particular type of risk have indicated the risk level for Lagos and Port Harcourt areas to be at least medium if not higher. Some international risk management instruments have even set the whole Nigeria to a red alert area especially for foreign travellers. When risk assessment and alerting matrix is in place in an environment, various levels of alerts will trigger different actions by the parties subscribed to it. What makes this situation alarming in Nigeria is that there is no central risk measurement or alerts systems in the whole country so people are left to make decisions based on what they read in the papers.

In my opinion the church can take advantage of this current situation and set standards that even the government can adopt when it comes to security related protection for organisations across the country.

Article by
Dr. Tunde Ewedemi –
Senior Consultant Great Heights Training UK

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