Vigilance in an Age of Deception

By Dr. Peter Mwangi, GuardNow Security Group

In every generation, societies face threats that test their resilience and discernment. Today, those threats are not always visible or armed; they often come disguised in the form of strangers who exploit trust, compassion, and ignorance. The Bible reminds us that “the days are evil,” and this truth is evident in the rising cases of manipulation and exploitation that rob communities off dignity and safety.

Security begins with awareness. A stranger who approaches with words like “I am lost, I need help” or “I think I know you” may not always be what they seem. While compassion is a virtue, blind trust is a vulnerability. Criminals exploit kindness, weaving familiarity into their schemes to disarm their targets. The enemy thrives on our ignorance, and ignorance is the silent killer of communities.

Recently, Kenya was shaken by the actions of a Russian national, identified online as Yaytseslav, it's alluded he'd the same in Ghana. He gained notoriety after secretly recording women he met in public spaces and later lured some to private apartments and Airbnbs. Using hidden devices such as smart glasses, he filmed encounters without consent and shared them online, including humiliating footage of women performing personal tasks like cleaning his clothes. The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) has since opened investigations, urging victims to come forward and condemning the violation of privacy and dignity. The Ministry of Gender also activated security agencies to trace and arrest him, highlighting the seriousness of the exploitation. This case is a stark reminder that predators often disguise themselves as friendly strangers, exploiting trust and curiosity to gain access to victims.

The tragedy lies in the fact that many of these women did not suspect danger. They assumed familiarity, they assumed they found "love", believed in kindness, and overlooked the possibility of deception into a "honeytrap". This is the cost of ignorance: lives disrupted, reputations get destroyed, and communities get shaken. Security is not only about physical protection; it is about psychological awareness and the ability to discern motives before granting trust or access.

Discernment, therefore, becomes our greatest shield. It is not about living in fear but about living wisely. It means pausing before responding to strangers,using common sense before following strangers to private places,verifying identities, and trusting instincts when something feels wrong. It means teaching our children, elders, and peers that manipulation often comes disguised as friendliness. It means reporting any suspicious activity instead of remaining silent, because silence empowers criminals while vigilance protects communities.

GuardNow Security Group CEO believes that vigilance is not just a personal responsibility but a collective one. When one person exercises discernment, they protect not only themselves but also their family, neighbors, and society at large. Security is strongest when it is shared, when communities rise together to say: we will not be deceived, we will not be manipulated, and we will not allow ignorance to rob us of our dignity.

The days are indeed evil, but wisdom and vigilance can redeem them. Compassion must be paired with caution, and kindness must be guided by discernment. Let us rise as guardians of our homes, institutions, and communities. For in discernment lies survival, and in vigilance lies victory.