By FESTUS AHON
UGHELLI—A Warri  based lawyer,  Dr Akpor Mudiaga-Odje, has urged the police and other security agencies to take proactive and pre-emptive steps in tackling the problem of insecurity bedeviling the country.

Odje, who was reacting to the attacks on innocent citizens in some Northern states by the Boko Haram Islamic sect, also advised Nigerians to be stakeholders in security matters.

He said: “Every time there is a bomb blast and somebody is killed or a Church premises is burnt or destroyed, we hear that the police is on top of the situation. Which situation is the police on top after the blast had occurred and  damage done?

“I believe the police has to be more proactive and even taking pre-emptive steps, computing data of persons and movements. There has to be coordination among the security agencies. It is  purely a security matter, nothing more, so government should take it seriously.”

Commenting on moves by the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, to introduce Islamic banking in the country, Odje  stressed the need for the apex bank to thoroughly look into the position of the Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, on the issue.

He said: “CAN has genuine grievances and the points they raised cannot be brushed aside. On whether it is being done in the United Kingdom, that is not the issue. We should look at the constitutions of those places where it is alleged to have been practiced and compare it with our peculiar circumstances.

“Whatever banking they call it, as long as it has Islamic and Sharia doctrines, you could see that these things have religious under tone and it is not good for Nigeria.”