Why Obi was attacked in Benue - State govt

By Johnson Arua

The Benue State Government has denied involvement in the attack and blockade of the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Mr Peter Obi, saying the government was unaware of the action blaming it on the failure of Mr Obi to inform the government of his coming to the state.

The government, in a statement by the Governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Sir Tersoo Kula, said Obi’s claim that thugs working for Governor Hyacinth Alia stopped him from accessing Yelewata was “unfounded” and a desperate attempt to drag the governor and the people of the state into an internal political matter.

Kula said the state government had no knowledge of the alleged attack, stressing that if Obi had genuinely been considered a threat, recognised security agencies, rather than thugs, would have been deployed to handle the situation.

According to him, “If Mr. Obi is confronted with disagreements or internal political challenges within his party structure in Benue State, those issues should be resolved within the party rather than being conveniently transferred to the State Government.”

The government also questioned why a presidential candidate would visit the state without, according to it, formally informing relevant security authorities, saying such a visit would ordinarily require security coordination involving the Commissioner of Police and other agencies.

Kula maintained that Governor Alia was a “peace-loving Reverend gentleman” who was opposed to thuggery and that his administration neither engaged, patronised nor deployed thugs as instruments of governance or security.

The government’s position followed Tuesday’s incident in which Obi was stopped by youths who blocked the Makurdi-Gboko Road, less than two kilometres from the Makurdi Airport, as he headed to Yelewata in Guma Local Government Area to sympathise with victims of the June 13, 2025 armed herdsmen attack and make personal donations.

Obi, who arrived Makurdi at about 9am, was reportedly confronted by youths chanting, “Obi go back,” with some allegedly wielding sticks and throwing stones, while security personnel deployed to the area watched the development. He subsequently returned to the airport and left the state.

Speaking before his departure, Obi described the incident as “ridiculous and very, very worrisome,” saying he had come to condole with families affected by the killings and show solidarity with the community.

He appealed to the Inspector-General of Police, the Director-General of the Department of State Services and other security agencies to intervene and ensure peaceful political campaigns across the country.

Obi said the 2027 presidential campaign should be focused on issues such as insecurity, kidnapping, hunger, killings and poverty, rather than violence, adding that he was visiting communities across Nigeria to see their conditions firsthand.

The NDC governorship candidate in Benue, Prof. Terhemba Shija, who was at the scene, condemned the action of the youths and praised Obi for refusing to escalate the confrontation.

Shija alleged that the state had suffered prolonged insecurity and insisted that the incident would not deter the NDC from commencing its campaign in Benue, saying, “We are going to launch a campaign in a week's time and nobody will stop us. This is our state.”

The Benue State Police Commissioner, Mr Cletus Nwadiogbu said the matter was being investigated.