Peter Obi’s Benue Visit: Alia Govt Denies Prior Knowledge, Questions Security Arrangements

MAKURDI — The Benue State Government has said it was not informed about Peter Obi’s reported visit to Yelewata in Guma Local Government Area, after reports emerged that youths allegedly blocked the convoy of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential candidate.

Governor Hyacinth Alia’s Chief Press Secretary, Kula Tersoo, said the governor and the state government were unaware of Obi’s planned visit when contacted by Vanguard on Tuesday.

Yelewata was recently hit by a deadly attack in which more than 200 people were reportedly killed.

Tersoo argued that given Obi’s status as a presidential candidate and former two-term governor, relevant security authorities ought to have been informed before his arrival so that appropriate protection could be provided.

He said: “Peter Obi is a presidential candidate of a political party and a former two-term governor. He is not a small man in this country. He is supposed to be prepared for and given adequate security.”

He added: “If you are visiting a state, the security apparatus of the state is supposed to know. The Commissioner of Police, Director of DSS, Civil Defence and others are supposed to be aware so that they can provide adequate security for you.”

The governor’s spokesman questioned the circumstances surrounding the reported obstruction, saying the alleged action by youths raised questions about whether adequate security had been arranged for Obi.

Tersoo also rejected claims that Alia or his administration could have sponsored youths to stop Obi from entering Benue.

“Governor Alia does not promote thuggery in Benue State. If Obi is a threat to him, or maybe he felt that Obi’s coming would cause a problem for him, the right thing to do is to get legitimate security operatives to do the needful and not to gather youths or send them to go and block him,” he said.

He maintained that the governor had not received any briefing from security agencies regarding Obi’s visit.

“But the governor is not aware. So you will even doubt if he came to this state at all,” Tersoo said.

The official also recalled Obi’s previous allegation that he was prevented from visiting Benue and that shootings took place when he eventually arrived in the state.

Tersoo said the state government had sought security reports at the time to establish what actually happened.

He said the reported incident on Tuesday raised similar questions about the coordination of security agencies.

“If those people are aware, they are supposed to make adequate security for him such that the youths cannot even stop him. For the youths to have stopped him, it means there was no adequate security, that is, if at all he came. There is something wrong somewhere,” he said.

The statement came after reports that Obi’s convoy was allegedly blocked by youths while attempting to enter Benue State.

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