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Presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, says suspected hired thugs blocked his convoy and prevented him from reaching the Yelwata community in Benue State, where he had planned to meet families affected by recent killings.
The opposition presidential candidate said he arrived in Benue at about 9:00 a.m. on Tuesday for what he described as a purely humanitarian visit to mourn with families who lost loved ones in Yelwata, where more than 270 people were reportedly killed.
Obi said his convoy was stopped before it could reach the community, with people he described as thugs chanting, “Peter Obi, go back.”
“It was deeply distressing to witness such hostility,” Obi said in a statement recounting the incident.
He maintained that the trip had no political purpose, saying he travelled to Benue to show solidarity with residents affected by the violence.
“I came to Benue not for partisan politics, but to mourn with our people, to listen to families who have lost loved ones, and to offer comfort at a moment of unimaginable sorrow,” he said.
Obi described the obstruction of the visit as alarming, arguing that humanitarian gestures should not become casualties of political differences.
His trip to Benue came a day after he attended the opening of the national campaign office of Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde, another opposition presidential candidate, in Abuja. Obi said his presence at Makinde’s event reflected his belief that political competition should be conducted with mutual respect and civility.
The former Anambra State governor recalled that while in office, he personally welcomed opposition politicians visiting his state during election periods, as long as their activities remained within the law.
He said Nigeria should be focused on protecting citizens and preventing further bloodshed rather than allowing political divisions to interfere with expressions of sympathy for victims of violence.
“The people of Benue — and all Nigerians — deserve to sleep without fear. They deserve to travel without fear. They deserve to cultivate their land without fear,” Obi said.
He added that protecting human life must take precedence over political considerations.
Although his convoy did not reach Yelwata, Obi said he remained committed to supporting the victims and their families.
