Nigeria: Thugs Disrupt Peter Obi's Visit to Benue for Second Time

What the report says

Peter Obi’s visit to Benue State was interrupted on Tuesday when people described by his campaign as suspected thugs blocked his convoy along Gboko Road in Makurdi, near the Air Force Base, according to Premium Times. The convoy reportedly had to turn back after men carrying sticks, stones and other objects pursued the vehicles. Videos shared by Obi’s team also showed police officers standing between the two groups, although the convoy eventually left the area.

The Premium Times report said Obi, the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, had traveled to Benue to show solidarity with communities affected by violence, including the Yelewata killings. After the incident, he said the disruption was unacceptable and argued that Nigerians should be free to move and visit affected communities. His camp and the NDC’s Benue governorship candidate, Terhemba Shija, suggested the obstruction was organized, but those claims were not independently verified in the report.

Police had not issued an official comment at the time of filing. The article also noted that the incident is the second reported time Obi’s planned visit to Benue has been disrupted. In April 2025, Governor Hyacinth Alia blocked an earlier planned trip to an internally displaced persons camp, saying visitors needed state approval and that security and protocol procedures had to be followed.

The latest confrontation comes as Benue continues to face attacks and displacement in several local government areas. The dispute adds to tensions over opposition politics, security access and the handling of high-profile visits in the state ahead of Nigeria’s 2027 general elections.