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September 14, 2026
NDC presidential candidate Peter Obi has addressed the confrontation that blocked his convoy from reaching Yelewata, Benue State, earlier this month, saying his decision to step out of his vehicle before stones and bottles were thrown was not a sign of weakness but an effort to protect others.
“It wasn’t weakness. I stepped out of my vehicle before the stones and bottles were thrown. I only asked everyone to move back for their safety. I will return to Yelewata, Benue, very soon,” Obi said in a U.S. interview.
The Yelewata incident
Obi’s remarks refer to the events of September 8, 2026, when his convoy was blocked along the Makurdi-Gboko Road, less than two kilometres from Makurdi Airport, as he attempted to travel to Yelewata in Guma Local Government Area to sympathise with families affected by the June 2025 massacre there, in which Obi and others have said more than 270 people were killed. A crowd of youths, some reportedly wielding sticks and throwing stones, blocked the road chanting “Obi go back,” while security personnel deployed in the area looked on. Obi’s convoy ultimately turned back, and he left the state by air the same day.
Obi has said the blockade was arranged by the Benue State Government and ruling-party operatives to prevent him from bearing witness to the scale of killings in the state — an allegation the Benue State Government has denied, saying Obi had not properly notified state authorities of his visit. The Benue Police Commissioner has said police provided an escort, while the state government and Obi’s campaign continue to offer differing accounts of who was responsible for the blockade. Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar publicly condemned the incident as “deeply shameful” and called for those responsible to be held accountable.
It was the second time Obi’s attempt to visit Benue has been disrupted; a planned visit to internally displaced persons was previously blocked by Governor Hyacinth Alia in April 2025, citing security and protocol concerns.
Community response
Following the blockade, elders and residents of Yelwata publicly distanced the community from the incident, saying it did not reflect the wishes of the people affected by the massacre, and invited Obi to return. Some residents have separately alleged that relief materials and donations intended for massacre victims were diverted and did not reach many of those in need — a claim raised as part of the community’s appeal for Obi to come back and engage with them directly.
Obi’s stated plan to return to Yelewata “very soon” follows those community appeals, though no specific date for a rescheduled visit has been announced as of this writing.
