Trending 
The police have arrested and paraded 46 suspects in connection with Tuesday’s alleged blockade on the convoy of the Nigerian Democratic Congress presidential candidate, Peter Obi, along the Makurdi-Gboko Federal Highway in Benue State.
The Commissioner of Police in Benue State, Cletus Nwadiogbu, disclosed this while addressing journalists in Makurdi, saying investigations were still ongoing.
Nwadiogbu added that key youth leaders allegedly involved in the incident were being trailed, warning that the command would not tolerate political intolerance as the 2027 general election approaches.
The development followed the blockade of Obi’s convoy by angry youths during his visit to Benue for his presidential campaign and a planned visit to Yelewata, where he was scheduled to meet and commiserate with victims of the June 2025 attacks.
The confrontation occurred a few metres from the airport when Obi’s convoy encountered a roadblock mounted by youths on the two-lane Makurdi-Gboko Federal Highway.
The blockade disrupted traffic as the highway was reportedly closed to other road users.
Reacting to the incident, Obi appealed to young Nigerians not to allow themselves to be used as political tools by the ruling class.
He described the development as “very worrisome”, saying his convoy arrived in Makurdi at about 9am before encountering the protesters while heading to Yelewata.
Obi said the youths blocked the convoy while shouting, “Peter Obi go back.”
He questioned whether politicians could still move freely around the country during campaigns, adding that he chose not to confront the protesters to avoid creating confusion or endangering other people.
“I am using this occasion to appeal to the security agencies, the IG of police, and other agencies, to please intervene and be able to call various state governors to order,” Obi said.
“I was a state governor myself. This rascality cannot be allowed. We are a country, and can we confront these people on our own if these people cannot provide us with security?”
He described the incident as unacceptable and called for the intervention of security agencies.
Credit: Kristina Reports
Keyamo condemns blockade
Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development Festus Keyamo also condemned the prevention of Obi from proceeding to Yelewata, regardless of the reason behind the protest.
Keyamo said the incident should not be considered acceptable in a democracy, whether it resulted from alleged internal disagreements within the NDC or was sponsored by the All Progressives Congress or another political party.
He also criticised what he described as partisan media coverage of confrontations involving political candidates.
According to Keyamo, angry crowds should express their political opposition through the ballot box rather than violence during election campaigns.
He said, “Whoever is angry at any candidate of any political party should display the anger with the ballot paper on voting day by a simple thumbprint, not by violent acts during campaigns.”
Benue Government denies involvement
The Benue State Government denied allegations that thugs linked to Governor Hyacinth Alia were responsible for blocking Obi from accessing Yelewata.
In a statement issued by the governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Tersoo Kula, the government described the allegation as unfounded and denied involvement in the incident.
Kula said the allegation appeared to be an attempt to drag Alia and the state government into what he described as a possible internal political matter within the NDC.
“We wish to emphatically deny that the government of Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia has an idea of what Mr. Obi is talking about,” Kula said.
The state government also questioned whether Obi visited Makurdi on Tuesday, citing what it described as his previous tendency to make untrue claims about the state.
It said Obi did not pose a threat to Alia, adding that even if there were any security concerns, recognised security agencies, rather than thugs, would be responsible for addressing them.
The government maintained that Alia remained committed to peace and the rule of law, insisting that his administration does not “engage, patronise, or deploy thugs as instruments of governance or security.”
The police said investigations into the incident were continuing.
