The Benue State Police Command has arrested and paraded 46 suspects in connection with the blockade of the convoy of Nigerian Democratic Congress presidential candidate, Peter Obi, along the Makurdi-Gboko Federal Highway.
The incident occurred on Tuesday during Obi’s visit to Benue State as part of his political campaign ahead of the 2027 presidential election. He was also scheduled to visit Yelewata community to meet and commiserate with victims of the June 2025 attacks.
According to the report, trouble began a few metres from the airport when Obi’s convoy encountered a complete roadblock mounted by angry youths on the Makurdi-Gboko highway.
The blockade disrupted movement on the road and resulted in traffic congestion, preventing the convoy from proceeding to Yelewata.
Speaking to journalists in Makurdi following the arrests, Benue State Commissioner of Police, Cletus Nwadiogbu, said investigations into the incident were still ongoing and that the police were tracking key leaders of the youths involved.
Nwadiogbu warned that the command would not tolerate acts of political intolerance as Nigeria moves closer to the 2027 general election.
Reacting to the incident, Obi described what happened as unacceptable and appealed to security agencies to ensure that political actors are able to move freely without intimidation or violence. He explained that he chose not to force his way through the blockade in order to avoid confrontation and possible danger to other road users.
Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, also condemned the obstruction, saying that irrespective of the reason behind the protest, preventing a political candidate from proceeding with a lawful visit should not form part of Nigeria’s democracy. He maintained that political grievances should ultimately be expressed through the ballot rather than violence.
The Benue State Government, meanwhile, denied any involvement in the blockade. In a statement by the Governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Tersoo Kula, the government rejected suggestions that persons acting on its behalf were responsible and insisted that Governor Hyacinth Alia’s administration does not deploy thugs as instruments of governance or security.
Police investigations are continuing, with the command indicating that other persons considered central to the incident are still being sought.
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