Leaders drawn from the South-west, South-south, South-east and the Middle Belt regions under the aegis of Southern and Middle Belt Leaders Forum have said a breakdown of law and order in Benue State should be blamed on President Muhammadu Buhari.

The group, in a press statement collectively signed by Mr. Yinka Odumakin (South-west), Senator Bassey Henshaw (South-south), Prof Chigozie Ogbu (South-east) and Dr Isuwa Dogo (Middle Belt), alleged that President Buhari was instigating anarchy in Benue State by deploying policemen to the state to assist minority members to take over the State House of Assembly.

Part of the statement reads: “We want to let President Buhari know in advance that he will be held responsible for any breakdown of law and order in Benue and any possible loss of lives.

“We call on the international community to pay particular attention to the on-going subversion of the democratic process in Benue by the Buhari government.

“It has been reported that a ruthless and desperate plot was hatched this morning which involved drafting policemen from Abuja and neighbouring states to force the majority 22 members of the State Assembly out of the assembly complex to pave way for the impeached Speaker, Hon Terkimbi Ikyange and six others to sit.

“The gangsteric operations which was said to have been led by Benue State AC OPS, Emmanuel Adesina, saw the minority members sitting without the mace and the clerk of the assembly, suspending the majority 22 members and serving impeachment notice on Governor Ortom.

“It is shameful that President Buhari who realised after about four months that his Inspector General of Police did not obey his directive to go and secure lives in Benue State and has done nothing to him is so eager to deploy policemen to the state to enforce illegality for political calculations.

“We are worried that till date the president and his security team have yet to bring anybody to book for the killing of hundreds of people in Benue. They have only been putting pressure on the governor to suspend the anti-open grazing law and cede land for imperialistic and land -grabbing notion of ranches.”

They described as embarrassing that a democratic government resorted to thuggish tactics where political engagement is needed.

According to them, “This is a throwback to full-blown dictatorship and the dark days of putting human beings in crate.

“We stand in solidarity with the people of Benue at this dark moment as evil walks on four legs across their state. They must not flinch or surrender as this shall come to pass.”

•Culled from a THISDAY report