Benue State Police Command has arrested 46 persons allegedly involved in the obstruction of the convoy of Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Nigerian Democratic Congress (NDC), during his visit to the state on Tuesday.
Commissioner of Police, Cletus Nwadiogbu, said the command was notified of Obi’s visit at approximately 5:30 p.m. on Monday.
The police deployed adequate security, including three police escort vehicles and personnel led by an Assistant Commissioner of Police, to safeguard the former Anambra State governor.
However, a group of persons subsequently blocked Obi’s movement, creating a tense environment that threatened to escalate into violence.
Nwadiogbu said the police made a tactical and professional decision not to use force immediately, aiming to prevent loss of life and destruction of property.
Obi was eventually escorted safely back to the airport and departed the state without further incident.
Emphasising that the tactical restraint should not be mistaken for inaction, Nwadiogbu said the command immediately launched intelligence-led operations, deploying undercover personnel to identify those responsible and determine their motives.
The police have so far apprehended 46 suspects in connection with the crime.
‘Key arrests have been made, while efforts are ongoing to apprehend all other persons connected with the incident,’ Nwadiogbu said.
He stressed that the command remains a neutral institution, noting that every citizen possesses the constitutional right to freedom of movement regardless of political affiliation.
He warned that with the 2027 general elections approaching, security agencies will not tolerate actions capable of escalating political tensions.
Nwadiogbu also clarified that Obi’s representatives had initially described the trip as a non-campaign visit to families affected by the Yelwata crisis, promising that only a small entourage would accompany him.
He added that he was personally managing a separate security crisis involving road blockades around Taka and Guma when news of the obstruction broke.
He assured the public that those found culpable would face full prosecution under the law.
The blockade has drawn sharp criticism across the political spectrum, alongside calls for a comprehensive investigation.
Former Vice President and presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Atiku Abubakar, alongside the Allied Peoples Movement (APM) campaign, issued separate statements on Wednesday demanding an immediate probe into the attack.
In a statement issued by his spokesperson, Kenneth Okonkwo, Atiku described the disruption as ‘unacceptable, anti-democratic and deeply shameful,’ calling on authorities to guarantee the safety of political figures across the country.
Similarly, the APM campaign, through Anthony Ehilebo, Special Adviser on Media and Digital Communication to its presidential candidate Seyi Makinde, demanded police action against those responsible.
It described the event as an attempt to intimidate opposition leaders ahead of the 2027 elections.
APM rejected assertions from the Benue State Government that Obi failed to secure prior approval before the visit, citing Sections 40 and 41(1) of the Nigerian Constitution, which guarantee freedom of assembly and freedom of movement.
It warned that deploying roadblocks or thuggery against opposition figures undermines democratic governance, reaffirming the Makinde campaign’s commitment to lawful political activity.
Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo (SAN), condemned the blockade while alleging perceived press bias in reporting political violence.
Keyamo maintained that regardless of whether the blockade stemmed from internal NDC disputes, APC sponsorship, or public resentment over Obi visiting Yelwata long after the tragic killings occurred, interfering with free movement remains unacceptable for any democracy.
Keyamo accused a partisan section of the press of applying double standards in its coverage.
He noted that when angry crowds confront APC candidates, the media routinely frames the incident as public ‘rejection,’ whereas similar hostility directed at opposition figures is labelled an ‘attack by sponsored thugs.’
Keyamo called on the media to maintain fairness and extricate itself from political partisanship.
The Senior Advocate stressed that dissatisfied citizens should express their grievances through the ballot box rather than violent disruption.
Dickson, Ortom demand probe, prosecutions
Former Benue governor Samuel Ortom and NDC National Leader Senator Henry Dickson condemned the obstruction of Obi’s movement, demanding thorough investigations and prosecutions.
Ortom described the incident as deliberate, accusing Governor Hyacinth Alia’s administration of ‘lawlessness.’
He said: ‘I condemn what happened on Monday. It is wrong not to allow Peter Obi to visit Benue. I sympathise with those who lost their lives.’
Urging police action, he added: ‘It is wrong. Allow democracy to prevail.’
Dickson faulted the Benue Police Command’s explanation that forceful intervention would have escalated tensions.