Benue Governor, Reverend Father Hyacinth Alia, has dismissed as false the claim by the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, that thugs allegedly working for the state government blocked him from visiting victims of the 2025 attack on Yelewata.
The governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Tersoo Kula, described the allegation as a ‘manufactured lie’ in a statement issued on Tuesday in Makurdi.
Obi was in Benue to commiserate with victims of the Yelewata attack when he reportedly alleged that thugs prevented him from accessing the affected community.
Kula, however, said the state government did not know about the alleged incident, describing Obi’s claim as an attempt to drag Alia and the Benue Government into what he suggested could be an internal political dispute within the NDC.
He said Alia was not threatened by Obi’s visit, adding that any genuine security concern would be handled by recognised security agencies, not thugs.
According to Kula, the governor, a clergyman known for his opposition to thuggery, does not engage, patronise or deploy thugs for governance or security purposes.
He also questioned whether Obi formally notified the relevant security agencies about his visit, saying movements of prominent political figures ordinarily require coordination with the Commissioner of Police and other security authorities.
Kula urged Obi to address any internal disagreement within the NDC rather than attributing it to the state government.
‘The Alia administration will not be distracted by attempts to manufacture political controversies where none exists,’ he said.
The CPS said the government remained focused on good governance, security and improving the welfare of Benue residents.
He urged the public to disregard allegations linking the state government to any incident involving Obi, stressing that Benue remained open to legitimate visitors and Nigerians who came to the state in peace.