Obi arrived in Makurdi on Tuesday morning and was heading for Yelewata in Guma Local Government Area, where he had planned to sympathise with families affected by the June 13, 2025, armed attack and make personal donations to victims.
However, his convoy was stopped by a group of Benue youths along the Makurdi-Gboko Road, less than two kilometres from the airport.
Chanting, “Obi go back, Obi go back”, some of the youths wielding sticks, reportedly threw stones as security personnel deployed to the area watched the confrontation.
Following the incident, Obi and members of his team turned back and returned to the airport. He subsequently left the state without visiting Yelewata.
Speaking before his departure, the former Anambra State governor described the incident as “ridiculous” and “very, very worrisome,” saying he had travelled to Benue to condole with families affected by the killings and offer support to victims.
“We arrived Benue, Makurdi precisely this morning at 9am, on our way to the Yelewata community to condole and show solidarity to the families affected by last year’s killings,” Obi said.
He said he had planned to visit the community as part of his decision to travel across the country, meet Nigerians directly and understand their challenges.
According to him, more than 270 people were killed in the Yelewata attack, prompting him to make the visit as he began his campaign activities.
“Only to arrive Makurdi this morning and trying to drive out, I was blocked by teeming thugs, shouting ‘Obi go back, Obi go back.’ And I was wondering, are we still in Nigeria? Or am I in another country?” he said.
Obi said he decided against forcing his way through the blockade because doing so could have resulted in violence and endangered lives.
“I discontinued because I didn’t want to say we must go on as we have our own teeming crowd, but not wanting to cause confusion and possibly endanger the lives of other people. I decided to remain as civil as possible,” he said.
The NDC candidate subsequently appealed to the nation’s security authorities, particularly the Inspector-General of Police and the DSS Director-General, to intervene and ensure that political activities across the country were conducted peacefully.
“I am using this occasion to appeal to the security agencies, the Inspector-General of Police, IGP, the Director of DSS and other agencies to please intervene and be able to call various state governors to order. This rascality cannot be allowed,” Obi said.
He warned that political violence could escalate if security agencies failed to protect political actors and their supporters.
“We have a country and we too have followers. We have people who can confront these people on our own if the state and the government can no longer provide us security. We cannot go on this way. It is unacceptable,” he said.
Obi urges issue-based 2027 campaign
Obi said the 2027 presidential contest should focus on the problems confronting Nigerians rather than violence, intimidation and political confrontation.
He identified insecurity, kidnapping, hunger, killings and poverty as issues that presidential candidates should address as they seek the support of voters.
“I participated yesterday in the commissioning of the office of the Presidential candidate of APM appealing that we need unity, love, justice, and let this campaign be concentrated on ideas, issues that concern Nigerians today of insecurity, kidnapping, hunger, killing and everything and how we are going to pull our people out of poverty,” he said.
He urged other presidential candidates to travel around the country, interact directly with communities and listen to voters ahead of the 2027 elections.
“Go around Nigeria so you can feel the people, see their faces, ask them questions and they ask you questions about what you want to do for them to be able to ameliorate the suffering Nigerians are going through today,” Obi said.
He also appealed to young people allegedly involved in political violence not to allow themselves to be used by politicians.
“I call on the youths that are being used. The abuse you are allowing them to use you for today will take its revenge on you,” he said.
“We are not coming here fighting anybody because our elections will be run on ideas, on issues. And I urge people to please let’s concentrate on that. Let’s not allow a country to get into anarchy. Anarchy consumes everybody,” he said.
‘Government knew I was here’
Obi said his experience as a former governor made it difficult for him to believe that the incident could have occurred without the knowledge of the state government and security agencies.
“I have been governor myself. I know that this cannot happen without the government and security agencies in this state being fully aware that I am here,” he said.
He recalled that he served as governor of Anambra State for eight years and said he would have intervened had a similar incident occurred under his administration.
Obi also questioned why he should be prevented from moving around Benue during the campaign period.
“This is a campaign period. I did not come here on election day so you cannot say I came disturbing the election,” he said.
He further recalled that he had previously turned back from visiting Benue after the governor reportedly indicated that he did not want to meet him.
“Remember last time I wanted to come, the governor said he did not want to see me. I turned back. But now is the election period where as a presidential candidate I am free to move around because election campaigns have started,” Obi said.
He said his objective was simply to see conditions in the state firsthand and interact with residents.
Reacting to the incident, the Benue State government accused Obi of courting trouble.
Commissioner for Information, Solomon Iorpev, said this while reacting to the disruption of Obi’s convoy during a visit to the state on Tuesday.
Iorpev said Obi ought to have formally notified the state government ahead of his visit, describing the action of the former governor as a breach of protocol.
The commissioner said given his status as a former governor and prominent political figure, the government had a responsibility to make adequate security arrangements for him.
“A high-profile person who has been a former governor of a state is coming into the state; he should have written a letter to the State Government.”
“We are supposed to guarantee his safety and protection, but in an instance where no letter was written, we could not guarantee his safety.
“This is not the first time he is doing this. He is just looking for our trouble. We are peace loving and hospitable people,” he said.
Iorpev said he was not aware of those who blocked the convoy, but added that Obi’s visit coincided with a meeting involving youths from all the 23 Local Government Areas of Benue. Daily Trust
