We need vigilance

Terroism has become perhaps the biggest threat to global peace.

It is a danger because perpetrators of such anarchy unlawfully use indiscriminate and intentional violence and intimidation to create terror and fear in people.

The act is not a modern creation.

It has been with man, notably from the first century when a fragment group of the Jewish Zealots, in strong opposition to the Roman occupation of Judea, attacked the Romans to expel them and their sympathisers.

Many reasons account for the incidence of terrorism, including intimidation of people to discourage them from cooperating with the state in order to undermine state control.

Some terrorist groups also use the act to gain international attention, while yet others use it to express and establish their religious beliefs.

There has also been the suggestion that people who perpetrate terrorist acts may be psychologically imbalanced.

In addition, the actors are encouraged to join terrorist organisations because of the financial reward they are promised.

In fact, terrorists strike when you least expect, and they leave in their trail loss of lives and properties.

The world has not forgotten the dastardly attack on the World Trade Centre and the Pentagon in the United States which claimed 2,996 lives and injury to over 6,000 others, while properties and infrastructure worth over $10 billion were damaged or destroyed.

Indeed, the level of fear terrorists put in people is unimaginable and this puts a lot of psychological stress on people.

The attack on the US, with all its known fortified security apparatus, makes one imagine what these terrorists can do in a small vulnerable country such as Ghana.

One can quite understand the trepidation, therefore, when news broke about a terrorist attack in a Catholic Church in Burkina Faso and plans by the terrorists to invade Ghana and other neighbouring countries. This comes against the background of rising terrorist attacks in the sub-region.

Terrorist can be daring and the threats of attack on the country must not be taken lightly.

This is because in many places that these terrorists have carried out their heinous activities, they have preceded them with notices and warning of impending strikes.

But it is heart-warming that the religious community has taken the announcement calmly but seriously and is taking steps, together with the security agencies, to deal with the threat.

The Daily Graphic particularly is gladdened by the admonition by the Chief Imam to Muslims to report any suspicious character they identify within their midst to the security agencies for them to deal decisively with any imminent attack timeously.

We note that the Chief Imam’s admonition is not applicable to only Muslims but all Ghanaians as well.

Apart from this, the media and other relevant bodies should immediately roll out education and sensitisation programmes to educate the masses on what to do to foil terrorist operations.

But before this could be done, we urge all to be extra vigilant in places with large numbers of people.

Also, it is important for everybody to check for emergency exits when he or she enters buildings, so that he or she can escape to safety in case of an attack.

Citizens must also be conversant with police, fire service and ambulance emergency numbers of 191, 192/999 and 193, respectively, and call when they see suspicious characters or come against attack to avert terrorist acts or reduce injuries and fatalities to the minimum.

With concerted effort, we can decisively handle any attack or plan thereof.