The rate of househelps conniving with others to kidnap babies or personal drivers and gatemen setting up their bosses for kidnap in Nigeria is really alarming. The ease at which families are willing to trust the safety of their kids to complete strangers or bosses who hire drivers and gatemen on the fly is even more alarming. When one reads these stories, it is not only the fear for the safety of the kidnapped kids or the bosses that comes to one's mind and prayers but the naivety displayed by the hiring parties and families.
It is not enough to say families should not engage househelp (that's another debate) as the economic situation in the country mostly will not allow for a single income household. It is understandable that both parents would want to pursue a career path to help the family, but this should not be at the safety of the kids or lives and properties.
So if you must hire Divers, gatemen, househelps etc, these are the FIVE basic security checks:

1. PERSONAL DETAILS

a) Sex: this is straight forward

b) Age: ask for a birth certificate, place/town of birth, hospital of birth. Now if applicant say they were delivered at home, no birth certificate and if place/town of birth is far flung, flag the application red. Don't accommodate any evasiveness.

c) Religion: ask for place of worship or prayer and frequency of attendance and name of pastor or imam and any three names of fellow worshipers. If the applicant say they are new in the area and have not really connected to the area, flag them red. No evasiveness. If you must bring someone into your household, they should have social connection to where they live.

d) Tribe and languages spoken: you may think this is straightforward, but how often have we mistaken a Chadian or Nigerien as Hausa.

e) Address: ask for current address and for how long have they (applicant) lived at this address. Further ask for a historical chronology of previous addresses for the past 7 years. If previous addresses are far flung or too frequent change and movement, flag red. Applicant should demonstrate verifiable stability in the causal component of their lives chances.

f) Parents, siblings and partner: ask for the contact details of parents if still alive, all siblings, wife or husband. Just phone number is not enough. Again be on the alert for evasiveness.

g) FULL SIZE PHOTOGRAPHS AND CLOSE-UP ANGLE AND PROFILE

2. EDUCATION
Establish applicant highest level of qualification and school attended and year of completion. Demand for the original and copy of school certificate. If applicant left school at primary school, ask if they learnt a trade and where and name of trainer (oga). If they didn't finish their schooling and did not learn a trade ask for what they have been doing till now and watch out for any gap and if you cannot verify the story, flag red.


3. BANK DETAILS
Ask for their Bank Account details as salary will be paid into their account. Establish how long they've operated the account and demand for 6 months statement of account. If they are adult (you shouldn't be employing minors really) with no bank account or history of banking, flag red.

4. PREVIOUS EMPLOYERS
Ask for previous employers going back 5 years and reason for leaving as you will need a reference from previous employers.

5. GUARANTOR
Name and address of acceptable guarantor which MUST be local with social connection and business ties to the area or town.

CONCLUSION
You don't just ask these questions for asking sake, you MUST take steps to verify the application and if this is too daunting for you, engage the services of a reputable lawyer at a reasonable cost to do the verification. Again resist the temptation of engaging someone who is not local to the area with regards to social and family connection. If applicant can't demonstrate they've been living in the area or town with family and friends for several years, don't engage.

Noted Iya sikirat abeg bring 5 pomo 4 me