The convoy of the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, was reportedly stopped by a group of youths in Benue State on Tuesday while he was travelling towards Yelewata.
The incident occurred along the Gboko Road shortly after Obi and his team arrived in the state. Videos circulated by his photographer, Esther Umoh, showed a group of men blocking the road as the convoy attempted to proceed.
Umoh alleged that the road had been deliberately blocked to prevent Obi from reaching the people he intended to visit. She described the development as unacceptable and called for political activities to be conducted without intimidation.
Obi later said his visit to Benue was not primarily for political campaigning. According to him, he had travelled to the state to express sympathy and solidarity with families affected by the deadly attack in Yelewata, where hundreds of people were killed.
The former Anambra State governor said he chose not to force his way through the blockade because doing so could create tension and put people at risk.
The incident has since triggered conflicting claims over who was responsible for the obstruction.
The Benue State Government denied any involvement, with the governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Tersoo Kula, saying the administration was not aware of Obi’s visit. He also rejected suggestions that Governor Hyacinth Alia or the state government could have deployed thugs to stop the politician.
Kula said the government relies on recognised security agencies rather than informal groups to maintain order in the state.
There was, however, a different account from the NDC’s Benue governorship candidate, Prof. Terhemba Shija, who said Obi’s team had notified security agencies about the planned visit. He maintained that the police and Department of State Services had been informed ahead of the trip.
The Benue State Police Command subsequently confirmed that it knew about Obi’s movement and that police personnel were providing security for the convoy. However, police spokesperson DSP Peter Aondongu said the reason the youths blocked the convoy had not been established and that the circumstances were being investigated.
The disagreement has therefore centred partly on whether the state government was informed of the visit, even though the NDC team maintains that security agencies were notified.
Obi had planned to visit Yelewata to meet families affected by the 2025 killings. After the convoy was unable to proceed, he reportedly returned from the area.
The development comes as political activities intensify ahead of Nigeria’s 2027 general elections, with security, political tolerance and access to communities expected to remain major issues in the emerging campaign season.
