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Peter Obi Blocked by Thugs During Visit to Benue

Video of the September 8 blockade has prompted a police probe and raised fresh fears of political intimidation ahead of national voting next year.

Overview

  • Obi's convoy was stopped on Tuesday along Gboko Road near the Makurdi Air Force Base and turned back after a group chanting 'Peter Obi, go back' confronted the vehicles.
  • Campaign videos obtained by local outlets show men carrying clubs, stones and sticks pursuing the convoy and breaching a police line as officers tried to hold them back.
  • The Benue chapter of the NDC alleged the suspected thugs were sponsored by the state government but that claim has not been independently verified.
  • Benue police confirmed the convoy was blocked and said they have opened an investigation into the incident.
  • The visit was intended to console families of the Yelwata killings and the disruption follows an earlier April 2025 attempt to restrict Obi's movements, deepening concerns about security and voter intimidation before the 2027 election.