Former presidential candidate Peter Obi has visited Plateau State, days after he was blocked from entering Benue State, and is now calling on the federal government to take concrete action to stop ongoing killings and forced displacement in Nigeria’s middle belt, according to Business News Nigeria.
Obi made the visit to Plateau to meet with communities affected by recent attacks, where he pressed for a coordinated federal response to secure vulnerable areas. Business News Nigeria reports that Obi’s trip follows an incident in which he was prevented from accessing Benue State, though the report does not specify who blocked him or the reasons for the blockade.
During his time in Plateau, Obi argued that the scale of displacement across the country has reached a point where Nigeria itself resembles a large camp for internally displaced persons, as reported by Daily Trust. He told victims of the Plateau attacks that all Nigerians are effectively living in IDP camps as long as such violence continues unchecked, according to Daily Post Nigeria.
Vanguard News adds that Obi urged the federal government to prioritize the security of communities and to create conditions that would allow displaced Nigerians to return to their homes. The reports do not include a specific federal government response to Obi’s requests.
The visit highlights a recurring pattern of communal violence in Nigeria’s middle belt, where attacks have repeatedly forced residents to flee their towns and villages. Obi’s call for action comes amid broader concerns about the government’s capacity to protect citizens outside major urban centers.
What to watch next is whether federal authorities issue a formal response to Obi’s demands and whether his visit leads to any new security measures in Plateau or Benue states.
