Peter Obi, the Labour Party’s presidential candidate in the 2023 elections, has cancelled a planned visit to Benue State after a cautionary statement from the state government raised security concerns and political tension.
Obi was scheduled to arrive in Benue on Monday for a humanitarian outreach, including visits to internally displaced persons (IDP) camps and health facilities. However, Governor Hyacinth Alia’s office issued a statement warning against unscheduled visits, saying the government could not guarantee his safety.
The statement, signed by the governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Tersoo Kula, insisted that any individual or group intending to visit IDPs must first obtain written approval from the Benue State Emergency Management Agency. The government also warned that unauthorized visits could be mistaken for political gatherings.
Reacting through a statement on X, Obi expressed disappointment, saying his trip was strictly humanitarian and part of a two-day outreach that began in Plateau State, where he was warmly received by Governor Caleb Mutfwang.
He disclosed that several efforts to reach Governor Alia and his aides went unanswered, and he only received the cautionary press statement while already en route to Makurdi. Obi noted that the itinerary mentioned in the government’s statement matched details he had shared confidentially with security officials and the governor’s aide-de-camp.
Obi stressed that his visit was aimed at supporting health and educational initiatives and showing compassion to displaced citizens. He described the development as part of a disturbing trend of politicising charitable efforts and lamented that such acts hinder progress.
“I intended to visit a school project, a nursing institution, and an IDP camp in Gboko,” he said. “This visit, like many others I’ve undertaken across Nigeria and beyond, was not political but solely focused on humanitarian support.”
Meanwhile, in a separate development, traditional rulers in Gwer West Local Government Area of Benue State have rejected any negotiations involving the ceding of land to herders.
At an extraordinary meeting held at the palace of Ter Tyoshin in Naka, chaired by Chief Daniel Abomtse, the monarchs resolved that no individual or group has the right to negotiate land with herders on behalf of the community.
The meeting followed recent violent attacks in the area, which saw the destruction of public buildings and private property by protesting youths angered by recurring killings and kidnappings linked to suspected herders.
The traditional rulers called on all sons and daughters of Tyoshin to resist any attempts to surrender land to outsiders and to support efforts to secure their communities.
They urged security agents to intensify efforts in combating insecurity and advised traditional leaders to uphold their responsibilities in maintaining safety across their domains.
The council also condemned the destruction of the Ter Tyoshin’s palace by youths and called for an official apology to the monarch.
