Alia Denies Obi's Claims of Thugs Blocking Visit

Benue Governor Reverend Father Hyacinth Alia has refuted claims made by Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), that thugs allegedly affiliated with the state government obstructed his visit to victims of the 2025 Yelewata attack. In a statement issued on Tuesday in Makurdi, Alia's Chief Press Secretary, Tersoo Kula, labeled Obi's allegations as a "manufactured lie." Obi was in Benue to express condolences to the victims when he claimed thugs prevented him from entering the community.

Kula stated that the state government was unaware of any such incident and suggested that Obi's claims were an attempt to involve Alia and the Benue Government in potential internal political conflicts within the NDC. He emphasized that Alia, a clergyman opposed to thuggery, does not utilize thugs for governance or security.

Kula also questioned whether Obi had coordinated his visit with security agencies, urging him to address any internal disagreements within the NDC rather than attributing them to the state government.