Activist Faults Benue Government over Disrupted Obi Visit

Nigerian political activist Peter Akah has criticised the Benue State Government over the disruption of Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential candidate Peter Obi’s visit to the state, saying the governor’s priority should be protecting visitors and residents rather than deciding who can enter the state.

Obi had travelled to Benue on Tuesday to sympathise with residents following recent attacks that reportedly killed more than 200 people, but his team said his convoy was stopped along Boko Road near the Air Force Base in Makurdi, preventing him from reaching Yelwata Community.

Speaking on News Central TV’s Breakfast show on Wednesday, Akah said the incident was particularly concerning given the security and humanitarian challenges confronting Benue State.

#NigeriaDecides2027: “Benue State alone has over 460,000 internally displaced persons within the state…”

Activist @Peter4Nigeria says the Benue State Governor should focus on the security of his constituents rather than on politics, especially in light of the incident in which… pic.twitter.com/5ubsj6WS1d

— News Central TV (@NewsCentralTV) September 9, 2026

He argued that Benue, which he described as one of the states hardest hit by insecurity and killings, should be more focused on protecting its residents and addressing the security crisis.

Akah also cited the state’s poverty and displacement levels, saying more than 70 per cent of its population was living in extreme and multidimensional poverty, while more than 460,000 internally displaced persons were in the state, according to the International Organisation for Migration.

“Do you know that Benue State, as we are talking today, is it not unfortunate that in a country that is the fourth most terrorised nation in the world, and one of the states that have been the greatest victims of this insecurity and senseless killings, in a country that is the leading head of extreme and multidimensional poverty, Benue State has more than 70% extreme and multidimensionally poor.

“According to the International Organisation on Migration, Benue State alone has over 460,000 internally displaced persons within that state,” he said. 

He questioned why the governor would be more concerned about whether Obi obtained permission before visiting than about ensuring security in the state.

“Is it not worrisome to you that a governor in that state is more interested in obtaining permission from a person coming to visit than in providing security and ensuring that criminals are taken out of that state?” Akah asked.

He also challenged the constitutional basis for requiring a visitor to seek permission from a state governor before entering the state.

“What part of the constitution mandates Peter Obi to send a letter to the governor before he knows that he’s allowed to visit the state?” he asked.

“At what point did we get to in Nigeria where any person who is visiting a state has to seek permission from the governor of the state?”

Akah argued that even if the governor was initially unaware of the visit, the presence of security agencies and reports of the disruption should have prompted the state government to act.

“And let us imagine that the police have now confirmed that they are aware. The DSS who are the security agencies are aware,” he said.

“If those persons attached to Peter Obi informed the government that we are with this person and we have a situation with thugs, should the governor not be concerned about the safety of his persons?”

He said the priority should have been to remove the alleged criminals and restore peace rather than focus on whether Obi had obtained permission to visit.

“Should he not be interested in taking out the criminals and allowing peace to reign in the state?” Akah asked.

Akah also questioned the credibility of the governor’s reported claim of being unaware of the situation.

“How do you come out to insult the intelligence of Nigerians by saying that, oh, you are not aware? You are not aware, but you saw thugs and you could not do anything,” he said.

The comments come as political tensions continue to rise over the treatment of opposition figures and political activities ahead of the 2027 general elections.