The Benue State Government has denied involvement in the reported attack on the convoy of the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, Peter Obi, by some youths in the state on Tuesday.
The government said it was not aware of Obi’s visit to Benue, insisting that no individual or group involved in the incident was acting on its behalf.
Chief Press Secretary to Governor Hyacinth Alia, Kula Tersoo, said the government would have been aware of the incident had security agencies been involved in stopping Obi’s convoy.
“We are not aware of his coming to the state, and if it were to be security agents that stopped him, it would have been easy for us to find out what happened.
“As presidential candidate of a party and former governor, he is a property of the Federal Government and ought to have been given security. Where are those security agents around him? If he is going to any state, the security of the host state should know so as to provide security for him,” Tersoo said.
Expressing surprise that youths could prevent Obi from gaining access to the state, the governor’s aide stressed that no group of youths was authorised to act on behalf of the government.
“We were surprised that youths would stop someone. Youths cannot do anything on behalf of government. Our government doesn’t patronise thugs and, in any case, Obi is not a threat to the governor.
“We are not aware that Obi is coming to Benue. I am hearing it from you,” he added.
Obi was reportedly on his way to Yelewata to visit families of victims of the June 2025 massacre when his convoy was stopped by some youths at Gyado Villa along the Gboko Road.
Following the incident, Obi reportedly turned back and returned to Abuja.
