NAIROBI, Kenya, Jun 30 – A little while ago, I left the office to meet a friend who is waiting in a restaurant along Moi Avenue, within Nairobi.
It’s Saturday, at around 6.30pm, there is less traffic and the streets of Nairobi are largely empty with only a few people rushing to catch the next Public Service Vehicle to their estates.
In 10 minutes time I was done with my brief meeting and was headed back to the office, to pick a few things as I proceed home.
Once on Kimathi Street, something catches my attention; a smartly dressed man, in blue jeans and white sport shoes walks outside of an ATM located at Kimathi House.
A tall gentleman confidently walks towards him and extends his left hand while laying his right hand on his shoulder.
The man appears visibly disturbed, as he listens to the stranger, who for a few minutes whispers something to his ears.
Being a security reporter, I was already suspicious of what was happening and I decided to stop and watch from about 20 metres.
The ‘victim’ is led to a pedestrian guard rail, where they stop as they start engaging in low tones.
From my position, I could see he was trying to explain something to the stranger, who is still holding his hand while two other guys, from either side have since joined them.
They all look uneasy since they keep turning as if being on guard.
At this point, I decide to confront the reality and ‘rescue the victim’ after being convinced something was amiss.
I tactfully walked to where the four gentlemen were standing.
“My brother come we go home,” I ask him in a commanding voice, as he expresses some sense of relief since I caught his ‘captors’ off guard.
Within no time the three men disappear after realising they could not proceed with their mission.
I quickly introduce myself and the first words that came out of his mouth was, “they are thugs.”
He goes on to explain, “I was in the process of giving my wallet, my phone and all the money I had. It was a timely intervention my brother.”
The city resident in his early 20s further explains that the thugs had cautioned him against attracting any attention.
“They asked me to act normal while warning that “sisi ni wale wabaya” (we are the bad ones),” the visibly frightened man says while indicating he wants to leave “before it gets too late.”
He could not tell whether they had been trailing him or they just judged by his looks or by the mere fact that he had emerged from an ATM, that he had money.
His experience is no different from what many residents of Nairobi and other urban dwellers have gone through in the hands of thugs.
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His case is no different from what is experienced by many city residents.
His case is no different from what is experienced by many city residents.
I sought the opinion of security experts and police, with a perspective of helping gullible Kenyans, who may fall victim to such gangs.
– How Kenyans react to strangers in the streets –
“Well the only approach that I have experienced is from the usual “Nairobi cons” who usually drop a bunch of notes,” a resident of Embu said.
“Not one or twice, I always smoke them out before they get to me … one thing you listen keenly to their story then poke holes in it and dismiss them,” Zachary Gathuku said.
-Security tips for Kenyans in the streets –
So, what should you do when you are approached by a suspicious stranger in a lonely or even a crowded place?
It is what police and security expert terms as a “surgical operation” by city thugs, who don’t want to use extreme force or weapons like guns.
A surgical operation- in the security sector- is where you head straight to the target in a bid to reduce the collateral damage, a strategy the enemy or even police cannot easily detect.
Richard Thuta is a Nairobi based security expert and relates well with such incidents.
According to him, criminals in such a scenario will always try to camouflage with the environment.
“They want to replicate the environment that they are in. They know for a fact, if they turn violent, they will be easily detected,” he points out. “They will try as much as possible not to interfere with the environment.”
Another strategy, Thuta says is a situation where, “they (thugs) pretend you are their brother (a relative) and that you are sick so that they mobilise the environment to their cause.”
“So that even if you try to resist, everybody will know that this is a sick person who they want to take to hospital. They will think that this is part of the sickness.”
His advice to members of public is; avoid shaking hands with strangers at any cost, specifically if you have just come from an ATM or bank.
“You must be suspicious of anything and everything,” he advises. “Anything around that area assumes it’s an ATM or a bank must be suspicious.”
Try to use your sixth sense, Thuta suggests, when confronted with such a situation.
How to react, he says will largely depend with the environment one is, since it can turn dangerous at times.
“Don’t accept things at face value since at times, things are different from what they appear to be. You must be suspicious.”
In case one is already in such a situation, the security expert says one may chose to cooperate, run away or even shout.
“This calls for fast thinking…it depends with the environment you are in,” Thuta says. “One should always think in a probabilistic manner; yes I have withdrawn money from an ATM, suppose opposite the ATM they are people waiting for me, what will I do?”
They are sentiments police share.
“The moment you extend your handshake, it means you have to talk to them whether you are willing or not,” a detective based within Nairobi Central Business District and cannot be named due to the nature of his job cautions.
Looks can be deceiving, and if you judge a person rightly only for them to turn against you, the detective also advises that you can either shout, cooperate or alternatively talk in a manner likely to attract attention.
“The city thugs, mostly those targeting ordinary Kenyans going about their businesses will never want to attract attention. They want to create a friendly picture within the surrounding,” he points out.
According to police, such cases have drastically dropped due to increased surveillance and police presence, but the threat is not fully eliminated.
http://www.capitalfm.co.ke/news/2016/06/beware-thugs-lurking-near-atms/3/
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