Political commentator, Iddy Bassey, has questioned the speed with which Benue State Governor, Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia, allegedly moved to stop 2027 presidential candidate Peter Obi from entering the state, asking why similar urgency was not deployed to prevent attacks on Benue communities.
Bassey, in a strongly-worded commentary, said he was impressed by what he described as the governor’s “swiftness and alertness” in stopping Obi but questioned why the same level of security response was not evident when armed herders and gunmen attacked communities across the state.
He specifically cited Agatu, Logo, Guma, Gwer and Yelewata, asking where the governor’s security intelligence was when residents were being killed and displaced.
“The IDP camps that Peter Obi was going to visit exist because your primary duty of providing security failed. Yet you could not mount a blockade against the killers,” Bassey said.
He also questioned the governor’s claim that he was not informed about Obi’s visit.
According to Bassey, the reported blockade appeared highly organised, including a government statement that contained details of Obi’s itinerary.
He said this raised questions about how the government obtained information about the former Anambra governor’s planned movements if, as claimed, the governor was not informed about the visit.
Bassey further alleged that Obi had shared details of his itinerary with the governor’s ADC and security operatives.
He argued that the development presented an uncomfortable contradiction for the state government.
“If you are this smart and this fast in intercepting a man who came with relief materials for IDPs, school materials for Gboko, and support for a nursing school, how did communities under your watch get wiped out by ‘unknown gunmen’?” he asked.
The commentator said the incident raised broader questions about the government’s approach to security and governance in the state.
He also questioned whether a government that could not guarantee the safety of a former governor and presidential candidate who allegedly informed security authorities about his visit could convincingly assure ordinary Benue residents of their safety.
Bassey concluded that the incident amounted to the politicisation of humanitarian intervention.
“This is not governance. This is politicising compassion,” he said.
This keeps the hard political punch of the original while clearly attributing the allegations and questions to Bassey rather than presenting them as established facts.