By EMEKA MAMAH
KADUNA—Christian Lawyers Fellowship of Nigeria, CLASFON, has urged the Federal Government to take urgent steps to address the security challenges facing the country.

CLASFON noted that the activities of terrorists and other criminal elements were undermining the unity of the country.

In a statement in Kaduna at the end of its President-in-Council meeting, yesterday, CLASFON also asked the government and security agencies to be more proactive in confronting incidences of insecurity, particularly terrorist attacks and proliferation of arms to stop the mindless killing of innocent people.

The statement, issued by the President of association, Mr. Sunday Akanni and Secretary, Mr. Arome Okwori however, commended plans to amend the Nigerian constitution, stressing that the proposed amendment must ensure true federalism as a matter of priority.

Furthermore, CLASFON applauded the Chief Justice of the Federation, Justice Musdapha Dahiru for setting up the Judicial Reform Committee, noting that such reforms would go a long way in addressing some knotty issues in the Judiciary, even as the group asked the committee not to restrict the submission of memoranda and inputs to groups and institutions alone, but to allow other Nigerians to do so to have wider views and perspectives on issues.

The Christian lawyers noted the controversy surrounding the planned removal of fuel subsidy, stating that it was embarrassing that the nation was still discussing the issue of oil subsidy after over 52 years of consistent oil exploration activities in the country.

“It is disgraceful and a sign of leadership failure that the nation has been unable to develop sufficient human resource capacity to harness the enormous potential of this God given resources for the maximum benefit of all Nigerians.

’’The federal government should also, disclose all facts and figures that constitute the basis for the subsidy,” the lawyers added.

They then sympathized with the victims of the various attacks in some communities in the Southern part of Kaduna state in recent times just as they praised the recent peace initiative by the Governor Patrick Yakowa of the state, noting the need for both the federal and state governments to intensify efforts at ensuring lasting peace in the country.