PETER OBI’S CONVOY REPORTEDLY BLOCKED IN BENUE DURING HUMANITARIAN TOUR
E-ISSN: 2354-4481
By Grace Chidimma Ibe
MAKURDI, BENUE STATE — The convoy of the National Democratic Coalition (NDC) presidential candidate, Peter Obi, was reportedly blocked in Benue State on Tuesday morning while he was on a humanitarian tour of parts of the North-Central region.
According to supporters and accounts shared online, access roads along the route to Makurdi were obstructed by individuals alleged to have been sponsored to prevent Obi and his team from entering parts of the state.
Images circulating online showed vehicles halted along dusty roads, including a yellow truck, while groups of people gathered around the affected area under overcast skies.
The development sparked reactions among Obi’s supporters, popularly known as Obidients, who accused the state government of attempting to restrict the former Anambra State governor’s movement. Some supporters cited the constitutional right to freedom of movement and criticised Benue State Governor Hyacinth Alia over the incident.
The reported blockade occurred against the backdrop of an earlier warning by the Benue State Government concerning visits to Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps and other sensitive locations without prior approval.
Obi had said the trip was humanitarian in nature and formed part of a planned tour of Plateau and Benue states. His itinerary included visits to an IDP camp, a nursing school and a school project in Gboko.
According to statements Obi shared on X, he had attempted to establish contact with Governor Alia ahead of his arrival in Benue but was unsuccessful.
He further stated that while travelling towards Makurdi, members of his security team intercepted a Benue State Government press statement at Akwanga, warning that his safety could not be guaranteed without prior approval for the visit.
Obi said the governor’s aide-de-camp (ADC) subsequently forwarded the same notice to him directly while he was still on his way to Makurdi.
The NDC candidate said the notice was surprising because, according to him, its contents corresponded with the itinerary he had previously communicated to state security operatives.
Obi described the development as disheartening, maintaining that his visit was not connected to political campaigning but was intended to provide support to Nigerians affected by displacement and deficiencies in health and education infrastructure.
He called on political leaders to separate humanitarian interventions from partisan politics, stressing that relief efforts should focus on citizens in need regardless of their political affiliations.
The incident has generated debate over the balance between state security protocols and the constitutional rights of political figures and other citizens to move freely within the country.
However, as of press time, there had been no formal resolution of the reported obstruction, while an official response from the Benue State Government specifically addressing the alleged blockade remained unavailable.
The reported incident comes as political activities gradually intensify ahead of the 2027 general elections, although Obi maintained that the Benue visit was strictly humanitarian.
