Presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, Peter Obi, has alleged that suspected hired thugs prevented him from reaching Yelwata in Benue State, where he had planned to meet families affected by the deadly attacks that claimed hundreds of lives in 2025.
Obi said he travelled to Benue on Tuesday as part of what he described as a humanitarian visit aimed at sympathising with families who lost loved ones in the Yelwata killings.
According to his account, he arrived in the state at about 9 a.m. and proceeded towards the affected community. However, his convoy was stopped along the road by a group of youths who allegedly barricaded the route and repeatedly chanted for him to leave.
The former Anambra State governor said the development was particularly disturbing because he had travelled to Benue with the intention of offering sympathy rather than engaging in campaign activities.
He maintained that his purpose was to listen to families affected by the violence, mourn with them and show solidarity with communities that have continued to live with the consequences of insecurity.
The incident occurred along the Gboko Road area of Makurdi, near the Nigerian Air Force Base and the airport, where videos circulating from the scene showed a group of people blocking the road as Obi’s convoy attempted to pass.
Some of the people seen in the videos appeared to be carrying sticks and other objects, while police personnel were also seen around the area attempting to manage the situation.
The convoy eventually turned back after being unable to proceed towards Yelwata.
Obi expressed disappointment over the incident, arguing that political differences should not prevent a Nigerian from visiting communities affected by violence and offering condolences to grieving families.
He also criticised what he described as the use of young people to obstruct political opponents, warning that such behaviour could deepen political divisions at a time when the country should be focused on protecting lives and addressing insecurity.
The development has generated a fresh political controversy in Benue, with questions being raised over who organised the roadblock, why Obi’s convoy was stopped and whether the incident was politically motivated.
Obi alleged that the youths had been mobilised to prevent him from reaching the community. He also said he was informed that a political aide was involved in leading the group, although that specific allegation has not been independently established.
The Benue State Government has rejected any suggestion that it organised or sponsored the people who blocked Obi’s convoy.
The state government also said it was not aware of Obi’s visit before he arrived in Benue and questioned why a high-profile political figure would enter the state without the necessary security coordination.
The government maintained that if there were legitimate security concerns surrounding Obi’s movement, recognised security agencies would be responsible for addressing them rather than groups of youths.
It also denied engaging or sponsoring thugs as instruments of governance or security.
The dispute has therefore produced conflicting accounts of what happened.
While Obi and people around his political movement have described the incident as an organised attempt to stop him from visiting victims of the Yelwata killings, the state government has denied responsibility and questioned the circumstances surrounding the visit.
The police have confirmed that they were aware of Obi’s movement and that officers provided security for his convoy.
However, the police have also indicated that the exact reason the youths blocked the convoy was not immediately known and that the circumstances were being investigated.
The lack of a definitive explanation has left several questions unanswered, particularly regarding the identity of the people who mounted the blockade and whether anyone directed them to obstruct the convoy.
The incident has also revived memories of an earlier disagreement between Obi and the Benue State Government over his planned visit to internally displaced persons in the state.
In April 2025, Obi’s proposed visit to IDP camps was stopped amid concerns raised by the state government about security arrangements and established protocols for visits to displaced-persons camps.
The government had insisted at the time that visits by high-profile personalities should be properly coordinated with the relevant authorities.
Obi subsequently criticised the handling of that episode and argued that humanitarian visits should not be politicised.
The latest confrontation has now brought the previous disagreement back into public discussion, particularly because both incidents involve Obi’s attempts to visit communities affected by insecurity.
Yelwata has remained a symbol of the devastating security challenges facing Benue.
The community suffered a major attack in June 2025 in which more than 200 people were reported killed. The violence generated widespread condemnation and renewed national debate over the protection of rural communities, farmers and displaced persons.
The killings also intensified concerns over the ability of security agencies to prevent attacks in vulnerable communities.
For residents and families affected by the violence, the consequences have extended beyond the immediate loss of lives.
Many families have been displaced, homes and livelihoods have been destroyed, and communities have been forced to cope with fear and uncertainty.
Against that background, Obi said his decision to visit Yelwata was intended to demonstrate solidarity with people who had suffered from the violence.
He argued that political considerations should not take priority over the protection of human life and the need to comfort citizens affected by tragedy.
The former Anambra governor also used the incident to call for a broader change in Nigeria’s political culture.
He warned against allowing young Nigerians to be used to attack or intimidate political opponents, arguing that young people facing unemployment, poverty and insecurity should instead be given opportunities to build their future.
The incident comes as political activities intensify ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Obi is expected to be one of the major opposition figures seeking the presidency, while political parties and alliances are already positioning themselves across the country.
The growing political competition has increased attention on the treatment of opposition figures and the ability of politicians to move freely across states while conducting political or humanitarian activities.
For Obi, the Benue incident raises questions about whether political rivalry is beginning to interfere with basic democratic freedoms.
He has called for an environment in which political opponents can travel, engage citizens and express their views without intimidation.
The situation has also attracted criticism from other political figures, who have described the blockade as unacceptable and called for an investigation into those responsible.
At the same time, the response from the Benue State Government has focused on the need for proper security coordination whenever prominent political figures visit the state.
The government has argued that such coordination is particularly important in a state that has experienced repeated security challenges.
Whether the incident was politically organised or resulted from another dispute remains a matter requiring investigation.
The videos from the scene provide evidence that a group of people blocked the road and confronted the convoy, but they do not by themselves establish who organised the action or whether the group was acting on the instructions of any government official.
The allegation that the youths were hired or sponsored therefore remains unproven.
The controversy has nevertheless intensified political discussions about the role of security agencies, state authorities and political actors in protecting opposition figures and ensuring freedom of movement.
As Nigeria moves closer to the 2027 election, incidents involving political rallies, campaign movements and public appearances are likely to attract increased scrutiny.
Political parties and candidates will be expected to demonstrate restraint and ensure that their supporters do not resort to intimidation or violence.
For the people of Yelwata, however, the larger issue remains the security crisis that produced the tragedy in the first place.
The community continues to represent the human cost of Nigeria’s insecurity, with families still dealing with the loss of relatives and the destruction of their livelihoods.
Obi’s inability to reach the community has therefore turned what was intended to be a humanitarian visit into another political controversy.
Despite being unable to meet the affected families, Obi said his sympathy remained with the victims and their relatives.
He also reiterated his position that the government must place the protection of citizens above political calculations.
The incident has once again placed Benue’s security situation and Nigeria’s political climate under national attention.
As competing accounts of the roadblock continue to emerge, a transparent investigation into the incident would be necessary to establish what happened, identify those responsible for the obstruction and determine whether anyone coordinated the action.
Until such findings are made public, claims of government involvement or organised political sponsorship remain allegations.
What is clear is that Obi’s planned visit to Yelwata was disrupted, and the confrontation has added another chapter to the continuing debate over political tolerance, security, freedom of movement and the treatment of opposition figures in Nigeria ahead of the 2027 elections.
