The Benue State Police Command has launched an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the obstruction of Peter Obi’s convoy in Makurdi, Benue State Capital.
According to Commissioner of Police, Cletus Nwadiogbu, the force will determine why youths stopped the former Anambra State governor from proceeding to Yelwata.
Obi, the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, had travelled to Benue as part of a planned visit to Yelwata in Guma Local Government Area, where he was expected to meet residents and families affected by the deadly attack on the community in June 2025.
His journey was, however, cut short after some youths reportedly blocked the route and insisted that they did not want him to proceed.
Speaking on the development, Nwadiogbu said the police had been aware of Obi’s movement and had deployed personnel to provide security because the visit was understood to be a humanitarian engagement rather than a campaign activity.
“Everybody has freedom of movement in Nigeria, so I provided security. I also directed the assistant commissioner of police in charge of operations to personally lead the men,” the commissioner said.
According to him, the security arrangement was in place before the situation changed following the arrival of the opposition candidate.
“Unfortunately, upon his arrival, we heard that the youths blocked the road and said they did not want to see him,” Nwadiogbu added.
The police boss said officers intervened to manage the situation, but stressed that the command was not treating the matter as something that could simply be ignored.
He said investigators would establish what prompted the youths to block the road and whether there were other incidents, including possible damage to property, during the confrontation.
“We must get to the bottom of it and know why the youths said somebody cannot move freely,” Nwadiogbu stated.
Obi was subsequently unable to continue to Yelwata and later left the state, according to the commissioner, who promised that the outcome of the investigation would be made public.
The incident has meanwhile exposed a disagreement between the police and the Benue State Government over the extent of official knowledge of Obi’s visit.
While the police commissioner said security was provided for the trip, the state government said it had not been informed that the NDC candidate was coming to Benue.
Governor Hyacinth Alia’s Chief Press Secretary, Kula Tersoo, said the administration only became aware of the visit through reports concerning the incident.
“We are not aware of his coming to the state,” Tersoo said.
He questioned why a former governor and presidential candidate would undertake such a visit without the state government being informed, arguing that adequate security could have been arranged if the authorities had been notified.
Tersoo, however, rejected suggestions that the youths responsible for the blockade were sponsored by the Alia administration.
“Our government doesn’t patronize thugs and in any case Obi is not a threat to the governor,” he said.
The development also led to reaction from Obi’s running mate, Rabiu Kwankwaso, who demanded action against those responsible for preventing the opposition candidate from reaching his destination.
Kwankwaso described the incident as disturbing and said Obi’s political status should not affect his constitutional right to move freely within the country.
“I am deeply disturbed by the attack on the convoy of our presidential candidate, Peter Obi, as he travelled to Benue State,” he said.
The NDC vice-presidential candidate urged the Benue government to establish what happened, identify the people involved and prosecute anyone found to have violated the law.
He also called on President Bola Tinubu to caution governors, especially those elected under the APC, against conduct that could restrict opposition activities or weaken democratic freedoms.
“I further urge the president to caution state governors, particularly those in his party, against any actions that could undermine the sanctity of our democracy,” Kwankwaso said.
Kwankwaso further appealed to diplomatic missions, international organisations and election monitoring bodies to pay attention to developments involving opposition politicians and encourage Nigerian authorities to guarantee their safety and freedom of movement.
Obi’s aborted trip was connected to the violence that struck Yelwata on June 13, 2025, when more than 200 people were reportedly killed and many others forced from their homes.
