Benue Govt Denies Blocking Peter Obi

….Accuses Him of Spreading False Claims

The Benue State Government has dismissed allegations by the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, that thugs allegedly working for the state government blocked his convoy from accessing Yelewata to sympathise with families affected by the 2025 attacks.

In a statement on Tuesday, September 8, 2026, the Chief Press Secretary to Governor Hyacinth Alia, Tersoo Kula, described Obi’s allegation as unfounded and an attempt to drag the state government and the governor into what could be an internal political dispute within the NDC.

The government said it had no knowledge of the alleged incident, stressing that Governor Alia’s administration does not engage, patronise or deploy thugs for governance or security purposes.

According to the statement, the governor is committed to the rule of law and relies on recognised security agencies to maintain peace and order across the state.

“Mr. Peter Obi is not a threat to Governor Alia in any way. Even if he actually visited the state, and we realised that he is a threat to anyone, the security agencies are there to handle the issue, not thugs,” the government said.

The government also questioned the circumstances surrounding Obi’s visit, arguing that a visit by a presidential candidate would ordinarily require security coordination with the Commissioner of Police and other relevant security agencies.

It further expressed doubts about Obi’s claim of being blocked, citing what it described as his previous “untrue statements” concerning Benue State.

The statement urged Obi to resolve any disagreements or political challenges within his party rather than attributing them to the state government.

“The Alia administration will not be distracted by attempts to manufacture political controversies where none exists,” the government said, adding that its focus remained on governance, security and the welfare of Benue residents.

The government urged the public to disregard allegations linking the state government to the incident involving Obi, stressing that Benue remains open to political actors and other Nigerians who visit the state peacefully.