I Was Told Benue Governor Sponsored Youths To Block My Convoy – Obi

Presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, has alleged that youths sponsored by the Benue State governor blocked his convoy and prevented him from accessing a community where he had gone to condole victims of recent killings.

Obi made the allegation on Tuesday while speaking at the scene of the reported blockade along the Gboko-Makurdi Road, near the Air Force Base, shortly after arriving in Benue State.

The former Anambra State governor was in the state to sympathise with communities affected by recent violence and families who lost loved ones in the attacks.

According to Obi, he was informed that the youths had blocked the road and stopped his team from proceeding to the affected community.

“I am here in a place where people have been killed. I am here to commiserate with them, but now I have been told that youths sponsored by the governor have blocked the road and made sure I do not go in,” Obi said.

He said he had remained at the location for some time after his convoy was stopped, describing the alleged obstruction as unacceptable.

“I have been standing here since. We cannot have a country like this. It does not make sense to me. The rascality is totally unacceptable,” he said.

Obi also expressed concern over the continued killings in Benue, saying victims and affected communities should be able to receive support and solidarity from those seeking to visit them.

“People are being killed every day in Benue. People want to condole them and show that they are with them. I came here only to be told we cannot go in,” he said.

LEADERSHIP reports that the blockade prevented Obi and members of his team from proceeding to the affected community to complete the planned condolence visit.

However, Obi’s claim that the youths were sponsored by the Benue State governor remained an allegation as of the time of filing this report.

It was not immediately clear who organised the youths, who directed them to block the road or whether any government official was directly involved in the incident.

The role of security operatives reportedly present at the scene was also unclear, including whether they were enforcing any directive or attempting to control the situation.

The Benue State Government had yet to respond to Obi’s allegation or provide its account of the incident as of the time of filing this report.

There was also no immediate official explanation as to whether Obi had been placed under any movement restriction or why his convoy was allegedly prevented from proceeding to the community.