Benue Police arrest 46 people after youths blocked Peter Obi's convoy en route to Yelwata, preventing his visit to attack victims. Obi's camp alleges a government aide's involvement; Benue govt denies knowledge.
Makurdi, Benue State — September 9-10, 2026
The Benue State Police Command has arrested 46 people in connection with Tuesday's blockade of NDC presidential candidate Peter Obi's convoy, which prevented him from reaching Yelwata to visit families affected by the June 2025 killings there, Commissioner of Police Cletus Nwadiogbu announced at a Wednesday briefing.
Nwadiogbu said the command was notified of Obi's planned visit at around 5:30 p.m. on Monday and deployed security personnel, including three police escort vehicles led by an Assistant Commissioner of Police, to ensure his safe movement. On Tuesday, a group of youths blocked the convoy along the Gboko-Makurdi highway as Obi attempted to reach Yelwata, creating a tense standoff that, in the police's assessment, risked escalating into violence.
Videos shared by Obi's photographer, Esther Umoh, showed people carrying sticks and chasing the convoy. Nwadiogbu said officers deliberately avoided using force to disperse the crowd, to prevent potential loss of life or property damage, and instead escorted Obi safely to the airport, from where he departed the state.
The commissioner stressed that the tactical decision not to use immediate force did not amount to inaction, saying the command launched intelligence-led operations immediately afterward to identify those responsible. "Key arrests have been made, while efforts are ongoing to apprehend all other persons connected with the incident," he said, adding that the police would remain politically neutral while enforcing the law.
Obi has alleged that youths linked to a government aide were responsible for blocking his convoy, an allegation that has not been independently established. The Benue State Government has denied any involvement and said it was unaware of the visit. The NDC has described the incident as an attack and obstruction of its presidential candidate, demanding a full investigation and prosecution of those responsible.
The incident has drawn condemnation from across the political spectrum. Former Bayelsa Governor Seriake Dickson said the arrests alone were "not enough," calling for a deeper investigation into who sponsored the blockade. Minister of Aviation Festus Keyamo also condemned the incident as unacceptable. The Allied Peoples Movement (APM) has separately demanded a formal police probe into the episode.
The blockade adds to escalating political tension in Benue and nationally as the 2027 election cycle approaches, following the state's recent BENSESA billboard dispute with the PDP and coming just days after Obi's earlier August visit to Otukpo-area attack victims proceeded without incident.
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