Fresh controversy has erupted in Benue State following allegations that supporters of Governor Hyacinth Alia mobilised suspected cultists and other unruly elements to prevent former Anambra State Governor and Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential candidate, Peter Obi, from proceeding to an internally displaced persons’ (IDP) camp.
The allegation has triggered renewed scrutiny of the relationship between Obi and the Benue State Government, particularly against the backdrop of an earlier confrontation over Obi’s humanitarian activities in the state.
In April 2025, Obi said his planned humanitarian visit to Benue, which included a visit to IDPs and health institutions, was disrupted after the state government issued a warning against high-profile visitors entering the state without prior approval. Obi said his security team received the government statement while he was already travelling towards Benue.
The Benue Government, through the governor’s Chief Press Secretary, had cited security concerns and warned that it could not guarantee the safety of visitors whose trips had not been cleared by the state authorities. The government also said visits to IDP camps required approval from the Benue State Emergency Management Agency.
The latest allegation, however, raises a more serious question: whether political differences are being allowed to interfere with humanitarian access to Nigerians displaced by violence.
The deployment of organised groups to physically obstruct a presidential candidate’s movement would represent a disturbing escalation from political disagreement to intimidation and could raise serious questions about the protection of citizens’ constitutional freedoms of movement, association and political participation.
The allegation also deserves an independent investigation rather than partisan assumptions. Those responsible for blocking or attacking Obi’s convoy should be identified, while any allegation that government officials or political actors sponsored the action should be established or disproved through credible evidence.
Most importantly, IDP camps should never become political battlegrounds. Nigerians displaced by violence require food, shelter, healthcare, education and dignity—not political barriers preventing humanitarian actors from reaching them.
Governor Alia and the Benue State Government should therefore publicly clarify whether they authorised, encouraged or had prior knowledge of the reported mobilisation, while security agencies should investigate the identities and affiliations of those involved.
The issue is particularly sensitive because Obi has previously visited IDP camps in Benue. In December 2022, he visited the Abagana IDP camp in Makurdi and called for the Federal Government to resettle displaced Nigerians.
