Insecurity : Where Vigilance Is Absolutely Needed

Gone are the days when people sat in their parlours, shared good moments with friends and relatives, while fresh air blows in through the main door. The high rate of mugging and armed banditry in homes has caused inhabitants to stay alert wherever they find themselves while reviewing personal security measures at homes. Hence, people no longer leave their doors open while at home no matter the time of the day. Also, that common habit of people keeping their house keys with a neighbour has stopped. Many say with happenings in the environment, nobody is to be trusted today...even some family members. 
Augustina K is an inhabitant of the Biyem-Assi neighbourhood in Yaounde. While staying in a fenced, six-apartment building, with a gate keeper, Augustina felt she was under total security until the day her home was burgled during the day while she was at her jobsite. According to the gate keeper, he did not see any strange person entering the building. Neighbours talked of hearing a loud sound within the building, but did not realise it was Augustina’s door that was being broken by a thief. This has not only caused Augustina to redouble the security measures in her home, by adding an iron door to the main door, with an alarm system, but has made her not to trust her neighbours as it was the case before. Augustina says before the burglary, she could leave her house keys with a neighbour when going out while expecting the visit of a relative in her absence. But because her neighbours are no longer those to trust, she now prefers to take her house keys wherever she goes, even if the relative will have to wait outside for more than three hours. 
Given that nobody knows who breaks into homes during the day while they are at work or school, Francis F, another inhabitant in Yaounde,  says more than often,...