WAR AGAINST TERRORISM: LESSONS FROM AMERICA

By Seun Adeogun

September 11, 2011

T

today, Americans solemnly remember their fellow countrymen who lost their lives as a result of the terrorist attacks on the New York Twin Towers, shanks Ville, Pennsylvania and the Pentagon building.

Having being following the steps taken by the US leadership since the September 11 2001 attack, it marvels me how the American government and people value their countrymen. In the past ten years consecutively, measures were undertaken by the American government to reduce the spate of terrorism and September 11, each year, the victims of this terrorist attacks are fondly remembered, not just with words but with positive action from the government, living on the promise of curbing the menace of terrorism around the world. This is one promise the American government from Bush’s administration to Obama’s have been living up to.

With this promise in mind, the Al-Qaeda leader, Osama Bin Laden, who claimed responsibility for the attacks, was laid to rest by the US Navy seal in his stronghold. This promise had also led to the American invasion of Afghanistan and other terrorist haven across the world.

Here in Nigeria, a lot is being dedicated to commemorate with America. Quite a number of newspaper reports, TV and radio programmes were dedicated to remember the victims of the September 11 2001 attacks, while promoting the campaign against terrorism all over the world. Good and hearty as this may be, albeit, one question kept coming to my mind, what is the Nigerian government and people doing to combat terrorism and remember those innocent citizens whose lives were lost due to the recurring crisis in Jos, the several bomb attacks and the ethnic-religious crises in different part of the nation?

The answer is too obvious to an abreast citizen of this nation. The Nigerian government and its agencies are yet to find an alleviating solution to the rising spate of insecurity across its territory. Up on till now, nothing meaningful has been done by the government to either unravel or bring to book the perpetrators of these dastardly acts, neither has it solemnly remembered its fallen citizens. It has totally shown a complete disregard to its constitutional responsibility of protecting its citizens. This is a government that have found pleasure in treating its citizens with contempt.

Despite some security lapses, the American government took up the due responsibility to protect its citizens within and outside the state. Far beyond this, it has kept on reassuring its people, by way of consoling the families of the victims of the terror attack, due justice and the persecution of the perpetrators of this dastardly act.

President Obama recently asserts that America is stronger ten years after the terrorist attacks.  Without gainsaying, the American government place high esteem on its citizens, it has demonstrated the capacity to handle the situation. This is just the way to go for all other government of nations across the world.

I therefore hope the Nigerian government learn from this and live up to its due responsibilities by instituting Justice and protecting its citizens within and outside the nation. It is high time Nigerian government stopped playing politics with security issues. The feeble response of government to the Jos crisis alone has brought about different panels of investigation but it’s so disgusting that none of the recommendations of the panels has been given a pragmatic consideration. Besides, nothing has being done to curb the rising spate of terrorism, unravel or bring to book the perpetrators of the several bomb attacks in some part of the country most especially in the northern region of the country. Nigerians on their part must be security conscious and be genuinely patriotic. We must act in unity and see ourselves as brothers and sisters.