Yelwata native apologises to Peter Obi, Nigerians over Benue ‘brigandage’

Utoo, a lawyer, described the incident as an act of “undiluted brigandage” and a violation of democratic values, particularly the rights to freedom of movement and assembly.

Obi was expected in Benue State on Tuesday, September 8, 2026, and was scheduled to visit Yelwata to meet family members and representatives of communities affected by the June 2025 killings, as well as pay his respects at the memorial site.

However, his planned visit was disrupted after protesters reportedly blocked his movement to the venue.

Reacting to the incident, Utoo, who identified himself as a native of Yelwata, said the development had compounded the pain of victims and survivors of the massacre.

In a statement, he said, “Candidate Peter Obi, and to all Nigerians, we deeply apologise for the acts of undiluted brigandage carried out in Benue State today, as a rape of the democratic values of right of freedom of movement and assembly.”

According to him, the people of Yelwata have continued to suffer from what he described as the “callousness” of the Benue State Government since the killings of June 13, 2025.

“For us, the victims of Yelewata, we have been hurt over and over again by the callousness entrenched by Governor Fr. Hyacinth Iormem Alia, since the genocide of June 13, 2025, that nothing is longer news,” he said.

Utoo said the people were surprised that the visit of a presidential candidate to the traumatised community could generate such a reaction.

“In our modesty, we apologise for all the malfeasance emanating out of Benue today just because a candidate was coming to visit our terribly traumatised people,” he added.