Confusion and political drama erupted in Benue State on Tuesday after the convoy of presidential candidate Peter Obi was reportedly blocked by youths while he was heading to Yelewata.
The incident has triggered conflicting accounts from the Benue State Government and the NDC, with both sides giving different explanations over what happened and whether the government was informed about Obi’s visit.
Obi was reportedly on his way to Yelewata to visit families of victims of the June 2025 massacre when his convoy was stopped by some youths at Gyado Villa along Gboko Road.
The development reportedly forced Obi to turn back, with the former Anambra State governor later said to have returned to Abuja.
But the Benue State Government has denied any involvement in the incident, insisting that it was not aware of Obi’s visit.
The governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Kula Tersoo, said the government was only learning about the visit from reports of the incident.
He expressed surprise that youths could prevent Obi from moving into the state, stressing that no group of youths had the authority to act on behalf of the government.
Tersoo also noted that Obi, being a former governor and presidential candidate, should ordinarily have adequate security protection and that security agencies in the host state should be informed of his movement.
He insisted that the state government did not regard Obi as a threat and had no reason to interfere with his visit.
However, the NDC governorship candidate in Benue, Prof. Terhemba Shija, disputed the government’s position.
Shija said the organisers had formally notified the police and the Department of State Services of Obi’s visit, adding that both agencies deployed personnel to provide security for the movement.
He argued that Obi was entitled to move around the country as a presidential candidate, particularly as the Independent National Electoral Commission had lifted the ban on political campaigns.
Shija said the purpose of the visit was not a political rally but a humanitarian trip to Yelewata to meet families affected by the 2025 massacre.
He questioned why anyone would stop Obi from carrying out what he described as a legitimate visit after the security agencies had been duly notified.
Meanwhile, the Benue State Police Command has confirmed that it knew about Obi’s movement.
The command’s spokesperson, DSP Peter Aondongu, said the police were aware of the visit and had provided security for the convoy.
However, the police said the reason some youths blocked the convoy remained unknown.
Aondongu said the command was monitoring developments and investigating the circumstances surrounding the blockade.
The conflicting claims have now raised questions over who ordered the youths to stop Obi and why his convoy was prevented from proceeding to Yelewata despite the reported presence of security personnel.
The police investigation is expected to shed more light on the circumstances surrounding the dramatic incident.
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