Oyibo,
For some reason, everyone always brings up the armed guards and this continues the "myth" that everyone needs armed guards to move around Lagos.
Lagos CAN be dangerous, mostly for those people who are only here for 24hrs or don't know their way around. Which is why practically ALL the airlines provide guards as they should under "duty of care". This then creates the "myth" that all expats in LOS use armed guards.
If all the expats in LOS needed armed guards, there wouldn't be enough to go round! Have you seen foreigners "whites" moving around with no guards whatsoever? I have - every day I go out. Just spend an hour on a busy Lagos road looking at the passing vehicles and I'm sure you should very easily count more than a hundred expats in vehicles with no armed guards whatsoever.
We also have to remember that sometimes, it's the security companies who talk up the risks in order to keep their businesses going. - I'm not saying there isn't danger but it's sometimes blown out of proportion. I recently visited JNB and when I wanted to take a taxi (which I regularly do in LOS), my Nigerian friend who lives there advised against it. What does that say? That JNB is more dangerous than LOS? I couldn't say based on my 3 days there.
Some expats on this board have replied that they enjoyed the place, others didn't! Each to his own.
I have been here for 3 years now, and move with armed guards very rarely - mostly after dark. I just make the decision not to go out after dark. My boss, the CFO, lots of pilots and engineers and other ancillary staff in my company who are all whites DON'T constantly move around with guards - and they are all white. Heck I don't think the ARIK CEO has armed guards (I stand to be corrected - I don't work at ARIK). We are constantly sent SMS's from security with any ongoing black spots and which areas of town to avoid. Each then makes this/her own decision on how to proceed.
In conclusion, LOS CAN have it's hairy moments but that everyone takes the necessary precautions as we would anywhere else in the world. PHC is another matter.
Sorry can't contribute anything about the lifestyle at ARIK as I don't work there.