As insecurity continues to challenge households and businesses across Nigeria, a security and intelligence expert, Dare Ayankoya, has called for stricter vetting of job applicants, warning that insider threats remain one of the most underestimated risks facing employers.

Ayankoya, who is also the Product Lead of YourChecka, a Nigerian background verification firm, noted that while public discourse often centres on external security threats, some of the most damaging incidents originate from individuals who gain access to homes, offices, assets and sensitive information through employment.

According to him, a single poor hiring decision can expose organisations and families to significant financial, reputational and security risks, particularly where employees occupy positions of trust.

He expressed concern that many employers still rely largely on curriculum vitae, referrals, referee recommendations and other surface-level assessments when recruiting staff, despite the limitations of such methods in revealing a candidate’s true background and potential risk profile.

The expert argued that the changing security environment has increased the need for more rigorous verification processes capable of providing deeper insight into the history, conduct and suitability of prospective employees.

He said employers are increasingly seeking background checks that extend beyond automated verification systems to include physical investigations, field verification and behavioural assessments, especially for candidates being considered for sensitive positions.

The expert identified senior management appointments, finance and operations roles, as well as domestic positions such as drivers, nannies, caregivers and personal assistants, as areas where comprehensive screening can help reduce exposure to risk.

Speaking on developments within the employee verification industry,  Ayankoya, said the company’s approach combines field verification, intelligence gathering and behavioural risk analysis to provide employers with more detailed information about prospective hires.

According to him, the objective of thorough vetting is not to stigmatise job seekers but to help employers make informed decisions based on verified information rather than assumptions.

Ayankoya added that as concerns about insider threats continue to grow, organisations and households are placing greater emphasis on due diligence during the recruitment process.

He said: “Where the background check market in Nigeria has largely settled for automation, Yourchecka is built on a contrary proposition that every check is carried out physically, by intelligence experts with over 20 years of intelligence-gathering experience.

“Once the employee consents to being verified, Yourchecka combines human intelligence, field verification, and behavioural risk analysis to produce something automated platforms cannot: a thorough, boots-on-ground report of who a candidate is beyond CV or appearance, thereby filtering people with malicious intent before they ever get the job.

“The vetting itself becomes a deterrent, not just a filter at the point of hiring, but a quiet, ongoing pressure toward responsible behaviour afterward. Candidates who go through Yourchecka’s process attest to how undergoing the process changes how they show up to work. As one vetted employee put it: “I know this employment is different, I must come correct”, he said.