MAKURDI — The presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, has issued a strong warning against the rising tide of political violence and intolerance ahead of the 2027 electoral cycle, following an incident on Tuesday, September 8, 2026, where suspected sponsored thugs blocked his convoy along Gboko Road near the Air Force Base in Benue State.
Videos shared online by members of Obi’s media entourage showed stick-wielding youths erecting barricades on the primary access road leading from Makurdi airport into the state capital, shouting slogans and attempting to prevent his delegation from proceeding into town to meet with local leadership and visit communal conflict victims in Yelwata.
The Benue State Police Command, speaking through Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) DSP Orchia Peter Aondongu, confirmed that police operatives were dispatched to provide security escort for Obi’s convoy while initiating an official investigation into the roadblock and the identities of the organizers.
Key Takeaways from the Benue Incident
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Non-Political Mandate: Obi clarified that his entry into Benue State was not for campaign activities, but rather a solidarity visit to commiserate with families affected by recent violent attacks in Yelwata: “I am in Benue today not for campaigns. I only wanted to go to a place where people lost their lives, to condole and show solidarity with them.”
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Call for Political Civility: Expressing disappointment over the confrontation, the former Anambra State governor warned that Nigerian politics is degenerating into hostility: “You can see the level to which our politics has degenerated. Let our next politics be a politics of unity, not violence or preventing fellow citizens from free movement.”
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Police Intervention & Security Probe: While police personnel successfully ushered the convoy past the obstruction without major casualties, state command officials confirmed that security agencies are investigating the breach to hold sponsors accountable under state public order laws.
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Recurring Tensions: The standoff highlights persistent political friction in Benue State regarding high-profile opposition visits, coming just one day after Obi made headlines in Abuja by attending the campaign office launch of APM candidate Seyi Makinde to advocate for peaceful cross-party competition.
