The fallout from the dramatic disruption of Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential candidate Peter Obi’s convoy in Benue State has taken a severe turn, with over 10 youths hospitalized at the Benue State University Teaching Hospital (BSUTH) in Makurdi.
The individuals, allegedly part of the groups that converged along the Gboko-Makurdi Expressway to block Obi’s attempt to visit violence-affected communities in Guma Local Government Area, were rushed to the medical facility for urgent attention following the ensuing melee.
While hospital sources confirmed that more than ten wounded persons were brought in for emergency treatment, official confirmation linking the patients directly to the political confrontation remains tightly contested. Hospital management initially categorized the admissions under general emergency care, noting that they were responding to treatment.
However, political actors have seized on the development. The state chapter of the NDC claimed that some of the youths mobilized to scuttle the visit sustained serious injuries during the chaos, with party representatives alleging casualties among the agitators.
The latest medical admissions come on the heels of swift security interventions, as the Benue State Police Command announced the arrest of key suspects linked to the blockade. Police authorities reiterated that while tactical maneuvers were deployed to evacuate Peter Obi safely back to the airport and prevent a total breakdown of law and order, unlawful obstruction of movement will be met with full legal consequences.
As investigations intensify and security forces comb the area for more culprits, the incident continues to cast a long, tense shadow over political engagements in the North-Central zone ahead of the 2027 polls.
