Al Shabaab threat spins cash for security providers

By Jackson Okoth

It is now at the back of everyone’s mind that a grenade or a bomb could go off inside a shopping mall, a parking lot or a crowded bus stop at any time. The fact that this sort of deadly weapon can be hurled into a crowd of innocent persons by anyone has raised antennae everywhere.

The worst bit of it is this terrorist is not in uniform, can easily mingle with the population and is an everyday person to the untrained eye. Take Hussein Ali, a Kenyan Somali residing and working in Nairobi.

One day, when he decided to carry a rug sack to work, there was an uneasy crowd of onlookers near him at the bus stop. On reaching his destination in town, he encountered a visibly shaken man narrating how suspected Al Shabaab militants threw a grenade at patrons at a bar in downtown Nairobi.

"Everyone is scared because no one knows where the next explosion is going to take place. I always feel so scared and insecure walking on the streets with all eyes on me, suspicion written all over their faces, given my Somali origin", he said.

Ali is part of a large group of law abiding Kenyan Somalis, who are walking the streets but are apprehensive and afraid of what might happen next.

Recent hand grenades explosions in Nairobi have prompted tighter security measures around homes, office buildings, bus parks, crowded shopping malls and all open spaces having regular police patrols.

In the meantime, security firms are doing brisk business.

"We are living in a climate of fear and facing a threat that is real, posed by a recent resurgent activities of what is thought to be Al Shabaab elements," said Mark Lipton, director-risk and security, G4S Security Services Kenya Limited.

The regional security situation is also precarious. Many are concerned about their own safety and that of their businesses and assets. We have seen indiscriminate hand grenade attacks here in Nairobi. This has caused panic and generated fear because it is not clear where the next attack will come from.

Quality training

Individuals and organisations are now looking for a reassurance from their security service provider or professionals.

"We are getting a lot of interest from our clients on various security services available, including guards, CCTV cameras, additional help and advice to those moving around the city," he said.

A leading security firm in Kenya, G4S, is conducting refresher courses and quality training to other players in the industry, including those that employ former police, military officers and disciplined security management professionals.

"We are also offering a wide range of products including man guarding services, CCTV, alarm response, security risk management training to clients and secured movement solutions," said Lipton.

G4S is also offering refresher courses in counter terrorism, fire and safety as well as incident management. The recent hosting of such high profile events as the Safaricom Sevens and the Standard Chartered Bank Marathon, where G4S had a huge presence, is considered one of the crucial tests on the public’s state of preparedness and level of alert.

But while there has been a significant presence of police officers at bus stops as well as elaborate screening at most public buildings in Nairobi and major towns, security experts maintain that not enough is being done to ensure all is safe.

hidden explosives

"We are providing bomb detectors, a gadget that has been missing in this market. It is cheaper and more effective than the mirrors currently being used at most hotel establishments in the city, to check for any hidden explosives under the car," said Kinyanjui Murigi, chief executive, Crime Scene Investigations Ltd.

A bomb detector goes for between Sh2.5 million and Sh3.5 million. This is compared to a trained sniffer dog that goes for close to Sh4 million, minus a handler, upkeep and trainer costs.

Security experts have dismissed metal detectors, currently in use at the entrance of most office buildings. This is due to the fact that these gargets cannot detect TNT bombs or even fertiliser explosives.

"While the bomb detector is expensive and high end, it is worth for those who need to be absolutely secure," said Murigi.

Although most establishments including hotels and big restaurants screen those passing through its doors using metal detectors, most security guards appear unprepared to react to someone with explosives strapped on them.

"We are still doing well below par in this respect, leaving potential terrorists with more soft targets," said Kinyanjui.

The cost of access control systems for a building varies depending on the building in question. On the other hand, the cost for security services including access control depends on the number of cameras a building might require, number of doors in a building, fire audit and alarm response service.

"We arrive at a comprehensive cost after an audit is conducted and needs assessed," said Everlyne Serro, communications manager, G4S.

On average, the cost of a networked access control system for a medium-sized office block covering six to eight doors is between Sh900,000 and Sh1.5 million.

Cost of security

Similarly, an eight to 12 Camera CCTV system for medium sized building has a price ranging from Sh600,000 to Sh1.2 million. In terms of manned security, the cost of a security officer is Sh28,000 and more. This cost varies depending on services required by the customer. A trained dog and handler costs Sh46,000.

A booming private security industry, triggered mostly by terrorist threats, domestic insurgencies and drug wars, deploys some 20 million armed personnel worldwide, twice the number of police officers, according to the annual 2011 Small Arms Survey.

Outside of war zones in Asia and Africa, the Latin American region has the highest ratio of arms per employee, about 10 times higher than in Western Europe.

In some countries, the survey points out, the 20 million figure represents a doubling or even a tripling of the number of private security workers over the past 10 to 20 years. Government outsourcing of many security functions appears to be driving the boom, among other factors.

Still, despite the rapid growth of the sector, private security personnel hold far fewer firearms than do state security forces, according to the survey.

Data on firearms

A review of data for 70 countries reveals they hold no more than four million firearms, compared to some 26 million held by law enforcement and 200 million held by armed forces.

The Survey also includes case studies examining the dynamics of both public and private security provision in Cote d’Ivoire, Haiti and Madagascar.

The Small Arms Survey, an independent research project funded by multiple governments, is the 11th annual global analysis of small arms issues.

Published by Cambridge University Press, and commissioned by the Small Arms Survey Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies in Geneva, the study says regulation and accountability mechanisms have not kept up with the growth of the private security industry.