Benue Govt Denies Knowledge as Thugs Block Peter Obi’s Convoy

​Political tension enveloped Makurdi, the Benue State capital, on Tuesday as the convoy of the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, was forced to turn back after being intercepted by a stick-wielding crowd along the Gboko Road.

​The incident, which occurred near the Nigerian Air Force Base, prompted swift reactions from both the Benue State Government and the opposition camp, raising fresh concerns over political tolerance and security protocols as the nation looks ahead to the 2027 general elections.

​Obi, who has since returned to Abuja, clarified that his trip was strictly a humanitarian mission rather than a political campaign. He stated that he was headed to Yelewata to commiserate with families affected by previous violence and community massacres.

​Footage shared by members of his entourage, including his campaign photographer Esther Umoh, captured stick- and club-wielding youths barricading the route and hurling objects at the vehicles as security operatives tried to contain the hostile crowd.

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​Reacting to the development, the Benue State Government categorically distanced itself from the blockade, expressing total ignorance of the politician’s itinerary.

​Speaking to journalists, the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Kula Tersoo, maintained that the state administration neither sponsors thugs nor views the former Anambra State governor as a political threat.

​”We are not aware of his coming to the state, and if it were to be security agents that stopped him, it would have been easy for us to find out what happened,” Tersoo stated.

​Emphasizing protocol, Tersoo noted that high-profile figures of presidential stature are national assets who require coordinated security clearance from host state authorities to guarantee seamless movement.

​”As a presidential candidate of a party and former governor, he is a property of the federal government and ought to have been given security. Where are those security agents around him? If he is going to any state, the security of the host state should know so as to provide security for him,” he added.

​Tersoo reiterated that local youths were not acting on behalf of the government, expressing surprise at the hostility faced by the opposition figure. Meanwhile, the incident has drawn widespread condemnation from various political quarters, triggering intense debates over the freedom of movement for political figures across party lines.