Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), traveled to the Yelwata community in Benue State on Wednesday. During the visit, he laid a commemorative wreath to honor the 271 individuals who lost their lives to armed attackers in June 2025, successfully reaching the village after two earlier attempts had failed.
Our correspondent reports that in a solemn moment that indicated the human cost of insecurity in the state, Obi knelt before the cenotaph erected in memory of the victims and offered prayers for the departed, their families and the troubled community.
The former Anambra State governor, who was accompanied by his running mate, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, and the NDC governorship candidate in Benue, Prof. Terhemba Shija, also pledged to provide a motorised borehole for the community and donated N10 million to support the education and welfare of vulnerable children affected by the massacre.
Shija announced an additional N2 million for the education of orphans.
Recall that Obi’s visit came after two previous attempts to reach the community were unsuccessful.
His first planned visit in September last year, when he was still the former Labour Party presidential candidate, was affected by restrictions on unscheduled visits of prominent personalities to the state by the Governor Hyacinth Alia’s administration.
A second attempt on September 8, 2026, also ended abruptly after armed youths reportedly prevented his entourage from leaving Makurdi airport for Yelwata.
Obi, who had arrived at the Makurdi Airport, subsequently departed for Plateau State where he carried out humanitarian engagement.
But Wednesday’s visit therefore marked the fulfilment of his long-standing desire to identify with the community and pay tribute to those killed in the June 13 and 14, 2025 attacks.
The visit was however not without a mild drama after the NDC governorship candidate in Benue State, Prof. Terhemba Shija, on Tuesday accused the state government of allegedly plotting to disrupt the planned visit of the party’s presidential candidate to Yelwata community.
However, in a swift reaction, the Benue state government dismissed the allegations that it planned to disrupt the visit of Obi, insisting that it has no objection to his presence in the state.
The government, speaking through the State Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Chief Solomon Iorpev, rather accused Obi of allegedly seeking to create controversy around his visit, claiming that the former Anambra State governor was deliberately generating negative publicity to portray the state government in a bad light.
Meanwhile, Obi while speaking later at a town hall meeting in Makurdi, promised to confront insecurity, unemployment and hunger, as he noted that his administration would not allow kidnappers and other criminals to operate with impunity if elected in 2027.
He warned that anyone involved in killing or abducting Nigerians would face the full weight of the law, insisting that the country must end the wave of violence threatening lives and livelihoods.
“If you kidnap school children or kill anybody and try to run into the bush, we will go into the bush with you and we will get you. We must stop this act. Nigeria must be secured,” he said.
Obi also promised that no Nigerian would be allowed to go to bed hungry, while pledging to create employment opportunities for young people through entrepreneurship, agriculture and economic empowerment.
“We want to build a better society for the youths. When you finish school, we will ensure that you either start your own business or get a job. Youth unemployment is unacceptable,” he said.
He further promised to invest in healthcare and education, fight corruption and transform Nigeria from a consumption-driven economy into a productive one, where citizens could attain positions of influence through hard work and merit.
The former governor, who lamented the absence of ongoing Federal Government projects in Benue, said his administration would prioritise economic recovery and infrastructure development across the country.
Earlier, Obi had visited the palace of the Tor Tiv, Prof. James Ayatse, in Gboko, where he sought the monarch’s blessings ahead of his engagements in the state.
The traditional ruler on his part, appreciated the visit and prayed for his protection and successful engagements, while calling for sustained prayers for peace and stability in Benue and Nigeria.
Obi told the monarch that his visit combined humanitarian and political engagements, adding that it was important to pay his respects to the traditional institution.
He was accompanied to the palace by the Catholic Bishop of Gboko Diocese, Bishop William Avenya, Rev. Tor Ujah, other Christian clerics and party supporters.
The NDC presidential candidate arrived at the town hall venue in Makurdi at about 4.35pm, alongside Kwankwaso and other party leaders, amid a large crowd of supporters who surged towards the arena as the delegation arrived.
What You Should Know
Peter Obi’s long-awaited visit to Yelwata marks a significant moment of remembrance for the victims of the 2025 community massacre, accompanied by humanitarian pledges including a motorized borehole and educational funds for vulnerable children. The visit also highlighted ongoing political tensions in Benue State between the opposition and the state administration regarding security and freedom of movement.
- Positive Impact: Affected families and vulnerable children in the community will receive financial support and educational assistance, alongside a new borehole project to improve local living conditions.
- Potential Concerns: The political friction between the visiting opposition figures and the Benue State government highlights lingering security and political sensitivities in the region.
