By Emma Amaize

ASABA—IJAW Youth Coucil, IYC, under the leadership of Pereotubo Oweilaimi, yesterday, faulted the reason given by the Nigerian Air Force, NAF, for denying the chartered flight conveying Southern leaders to  the Middle Belt Conference from landing at its Makurdi Base, saying President Muhammadu Buhari was gradually turning the country to a police state.

“We fear that Mr. President is gradually turning the country into a police state where the will of the citizens will be subjected to his whims and caprices. Nigeria is sliding into a full blown fascist state where dictatorship is the order of the day.

“The news that prominent Southern leaders,  who were going to Benue State to attend a meeting on restructuring were prevented from landing at Makurdi Airport by the Presidency on a flimsy reason of security issue is, to say the least, the height of insensitivity of the government towards its citizenry. This is a dictatorship in a civilian garb.

“Indeed, it is now glaring to all and sundry that our democracy is under serious threat. For Buhari to allow his appointees to display such disdain towards our leaders in a country we are supposed to be free citizens means Nigerians are not safe under his government.

“The action of the presidency in preventing the citizens of this country from moving freely only portends danger.”