By Kola Animashaun

Ten years ago, a single cataclysmic event altered the way we viewed the world. On September 11, 2001, the world watched in horror as planes struck the World Trade Centre twin towers in New York . It seems so unreal that anyone in their right mind could not have thought it could happen, least of all, not in America . But it did and it unleashed even more tragedy in the number of lives lost that day in the weeks, months and years that followed . Its resonance felt the world over.

Suicide bombers became synonymous with Muslim fundamentalists and the name Al Qaeda or Osama Bin Laden became sinister but common place in every day vocabulary. What happened after was that war was declared and waged against terror. It became the reason for going to war to defend freedom , liberty and the American way of life. The same reason was given and justified by the Americans and its allies, to invade Iran, for the search for WMD, and also the reason for sending troops to Afghanistan and the fight against the Talibans in Afghanistan and in Pakistan.

Ten years on , the jury is still out whether the world is safer or the number of lives lost justifiable to rid the world of these groups who were hell bent on creating mayhem and terror . Since the 9/11 , in the US , they effectively stopped 13 terrorist attacks and the public regularly updated on safety measures or security alerts.

In New York the public message is- always keep a look out over your shoulders and, ‘If you see something, say something.’

The Mayor of New York, Bloomberg said,” The best thing that we can do to fight terror is to refuse to be intimidated by it, “and he advises that New Yorkers should “go about their business as they normally would, but just be vigilant.”

On the other hand, Boko Haram is a growing threat to stability in Nigeria and has created a wedge between a mainly Muslim North and predominantly Christian South. The group became active around 2003 and is concentrated in northern states.

Abubakar Mustapha, Professor of Islamic jurisprudence at Maiduguri University, said: “We are all scared. Boko Haram is very serious because neither the security agencies nor the common people know who they are.

Police say they have evidence of foreign fighters swelling its ranks and weapons smuggled across the country’s lax borders. It is not certain whether Boko Haram is receiving financial, logistical or ideological support from al-Qaida .

What is certain is that Boko Haram is compromising the authority of the government and undermining the position of the security agencies in Nigeria. The commander for US military operations in Africa said Boko Haram may be trying to connect with other al-Qaeda-linked groups to mount joint attacks in Nigeria.

General Carter Ham told AP during a visit to Nigeria that “multiple sources” indicate Boko Haram made contacts with al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb, which operates in North-West Africa, and with al-Shabaab in Somalia.

“I think it would be the most dangerous thing to happen not only to the Africans, but to us as well,” Carter said.

Recently, the car bomb – the first attack on the UN in Nigeria – ripped through the most fortified UN building, killing at least 18 people, in a secure area surrounded by embassies.

President Goodluck Jonathan called these recent attacks “barbaric”, and he ordered all relevant agencies to help. But this does not seem to go far enough to address the issue of security or plans to identify and contain the culprits . Instead the Nigerian authorities seem to up the ante by closing the stable door after the horse has bolted. It mounted road blocks, barking commands at innocent bystanders, leaving every man to himself.

The priority should be to protect the citizens and not after the effect. Some noted that it seem that the authorities have not gained full control of the situation that, it exposes the people to further attacks .

These attacks have made a mockery of the security in the capital and its apparent uncoordinated intelligence and emergency services . Instead the attacks made the Nigeria look exposed and mediocre.

So, what should the authority do to ensure the safety of its citizens? Where are the visible presence of the authority to act as a deterrent ?Is there an established security level or an early warning system? Is there an evacuation process for the public to follow? Is there public information circulated to warn the public on vigilance and emergency numbers that is accessible? Is the evacuation plan known to the emergency services; the police, ambulance, hospital and fire service ?

Ten years is a long time and we should have learnt the lessons of the past so as not to repeat it .

One woman who lost her son in the bomb attack and herself was injured said, “Everybody is frightened now,” she whispers. “People who kill and injure indiscriminately are a danger. I only pray God protects us.”

It is time we protect our nation and its people, there is no place for wait and see complacency.