Peter Obi’s Convoy Turned Back in Benue as Suspected Thugs Block Road to Yelwata
A visit by Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential candidate Peter Obi to Benue State was disrupted on Tuesday, September 8, 2026, after suspected thugs blocked his convoy along Gboko Road in Makurdi, marking what his party describes as the second such obstruction of his movement through the state.
Obi had arrived in Benue that morning intending to visit communities affected by the 2025 Yelwata killings, in which reports indicate hundreds of residents were massacred, an attack that drew widespread national condemnation at the time. His convoy was stopped near the Nigerian Air Force Base shortly after arriving in the state. According to Obi’s campaign photographer, Esther Umoh, who shared videos of the incident on X, suspected sponsored thugs blocked the road in an apparent attempt to prevent Obi from gaining access into the state. Footage from the scene showed a crowd carrying clubs, sticks, stones and other objects pursuing Obi’s vehicles as his convoy turned back, with some witnesses describing scenes of gravel being thrown at the vehicles as drivers manoeuvred to escape.
Addressing supporters after the incident, Obi expressed his displeasure and confirmed that he had decided to return after being prevented from proceeding further into the state. Recounting the events, he said he had learned that the road had deliberately been blocked to stop him from reaching the affected communities, describing the situation as unacceptable and calling on Nigerians to recognise the country belongs to everyone.
NDC governorship candidate for Benue, Terhemba Shija, alleged in a separate video that the suspected thugs had been sponsored by the state government, though this allegation had not been independently verified at the time of reporting. The party’s state publicity secretary, Agile Bem Ordedoo, went further, accusing the ruling All Progressives Congress of hiring the individuals involved and distributing cash to encourage the blockade. An NDC chieftain who spoke to journalists at the scene said Obi had deliberately scheduled the condolence visit ahead of the formal start of campaign activities in the state specifically to avoid politicising the tragedy.
Responding to the allegations, the Chief Press Secretary to Benue State Governor Hyacinth Alia, Kula Tersoo, said the state government had not been informed of Obi’s arrival, while a separate state party spokesman, Benedict Yaweh, denied any government or party involvement in the incident, dismissing the allegations. Tuesday’s disruption follows an earlier incident in April 2025, when Governor Alia had publicly warned Obi against making what he described as an unscheduled visit to internally displaced persons in the state, a warning that resulted in the cancellation of that planned trip.
The Obidient Movement, a grassroots support base aligned with Obi, issued a statement condemning what it called a systemic pattern of obstruction by the Alia administration, alleging that organised thugs acting on instructions connected to the state government had caused a major traffic gridlock and obstructed Obi’s movement near Makurdi airport. Separately, Peoples Democratic Party governorship candidate for Benue, Chief Michael Aondoakaa, SAN, also condemned the blockade of Obi’s convoy.
As of the time of reporting, no independent investigation had been announced into the circumstances of the incident, and the competing accusations between Obi’s supporters and the state government remain unresolved, adding further tension to a state still recovering from last year’s deadly attacks ahead of the 2027 general elections.
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