The Benue State Government has denied any involvement in the reported blockade of the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, during his visit to the state.

The Commissioner for Information and Culture, Solomon Lorpev, said the government was not officially informed about Obi’s visit and described the failure to notify the state authorities as a breach of protocol.

Speaking on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief on Wednesday, Lorpev rejected claims that Governor Hyacinth Alia or his administration sent people to prevent Obi from travelling within the state.

SEE MORE: FG Aims to Finish Olobiri Museum in 2028

According to the commissioner, the government only became aware of the incident after reports emerged that Obi’s convoy had been stopped along the Makurdi-Gboko federal highway.

Lorpev argued that Obi, being a former governor and presidential candidate, should have informed the state government of his arrival because of the security implications surrounding his movement.

He said the police could not be regarded as acting on behalf of the governor simply because Obi’s party had informed the police of his planned visit.

The commissioner also challenged individuals alleging that government appointees were behind the blockade to provide evidence.

He maintained that the state government was investigating the incident and would issue a statement once the facts were established.

The controversy followed Obi’s arrival in Makurdi on Tuesday for a planned visit to Yelewata, where he intended to sympathise with families affected by the deadly June 2025 attacks.

Obi arrived at the Tactical Air Command airport in Makurdi at about 9 a.m. and was received by NDC governorship candidate Terhemba Shija and other party officials.

However, his convoy reportedly encountered a roadblock mounted by youths along the Makurdi-Gboko federal highway shortly after leaving the airport.

The blockade reportedly caused traffic congestion after the road was closed to motorists.

Reacting to the incident, Obi described the development as “very worrisome” and condemned the use of youths to perpetrate political violence.

He said he had travelled to Yelewata to console victims and show solidarity with families affected by the killings.

The incident has since triggered renewed debate over political freedom, security arrangements and the responsibilities of state authorities during visits by prominent political figures.

While the Benue Government continues to deny responsibility for the blockade, it says its investigation will establish the circumstances surrounding the incident and determine whether any government officials were involved.

Iran and the United States have exchanged fresh attacks in the Middle East, deepening their six-month-old conflict and raising fears of a wider disruption to global oil supplies.

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said on Wednesday that it had attacked 20 US vessels attempting to pass through the strategic Strait of Hormuz, a vital waterway that normally carries around a fifth of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas.

The latest escalation came after US forces destroyed five Iranian oil tankers on Tuesday.

SEE ALSO: Crude Races Towards $100 as US Steps Hard on Iran

The US military said the strikes followed an Iranian attack on an American warship, the second reported attack on a US naval vessel in less than a week.

In retaliation, Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said they had launched missiles at the US Al-Azraq air base in Jordan.

Iranian state media reported that the attack damaged maintenance and repair facilities, deployment locations and shelters used for fighter jets.

Jordan’s army, however, said it intercepted 18 missiles launched from Iran towards the kingdom.

The latest confrontation has further intensified the standoff over the Strait of Hormuz, which Iran has largely controlled since the war began in February.

Traffic through the waterway has been virtually paralysed, with Tehran requiring vessels to obtain permission and pay transit fees before passing through the strait.

Iran threatens Gulf tankers

Iran has also threatened to target oil tankers operating near US allies Kuwait and Bahrain in retaliation for the American strikes on its vessels.

The Revolutionary Guards warned crews aboard oil tankers in the area to leave their ships, saying they “will be targeted.”

The warning has heightened concerns over the safety of commercial shipping and the possibility of further disruptions to energy supplies from the oil-rich Middle East.

Oil prices rose sharply amid the latest escalation, with Brent crude climbing to $99.46 per barrel in Asian morning trade.

West Texas Intermediate, the main US crude benchmark, also rose to $94.45 per barrel.

Rubio issues warning

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio warned that Iran would face further consequences if it continued attacking American naval vessels.

“Iran continues to try to hit US naval ships, and for every time they do that or try to do that, they’re going to lose tankers, and I think you’ll see that again today,” Rubio told reporters on Tuesday during a visit to Colombia.

Iranian media also reported that a US missile struck a tanker off the coast of Kharg Island, although no casualties were reported.

Iran’s Army Chief of Staff, Ali Abdollahi, had earlier warned that Tehran would strike US bases across the region if Iranian oil tankers were attacked.

Iran claims US drone seizure

The Revolutionary Guards also claimed on Tuesday that they had seized an American submarine drone in the Strait of Hormuz, describing it as “one of the most modern, unmanned” US vessels.

The US military disputed the claim, saying the drone had malfunctioned and was an older model that did not contain sensitive information.

Iranian state television separately reported that the Guards had attacked two US destroyers with ballistic missiles, although the US military had not immediately commented on the claim.

As the confrontation continues, concerns are mounting that prolonged fighting around the Strait of Hormuz could further restrict the movement of oil and gas and push global energy prices higher.

The Lagos State Government has commenced consultations with residents across the state’s five divisions as it begins preparations for the 2027 budget.

The consultation exercise kicked off with the Ikeja Division forum held at the Multipurpose Hall, Radio Lagos, Agidingbi, Ikeja, where residents and community leaders outlined their priorities and assessed the implementation of requests made during previous engagements.

Speaking at the forum, the Commissioner for Economic Planning and Budget, Ope George, said the annual consultations were designed to give residents an opportunity to influence government priorities and communicate their needs directly to the state government.

SEE ALSO: SFU, Lagos Investigates Mega Fraud in Nigeria’s Oil Industry

George said the government visits the various divisions every year to hear from residents about what they want to see reflected in the upcoming budget.

“Every year, we go around our IBILE Divisions to listen to our citizens and hear what they want to see in their upcoming budget,” George said.

He explained that the consultation also provides an opportunity for the government to report back to residents on the implementation of demands raised during the previous year’s engagement.

“This year, we’ve come in; we’ve given an account of what they asked us for last year. And we’ve shown them what we’ve done. And they’ve given us what they want for the new budget going on,” he said.

The commissioner’s remarks highlight the state government’s approach of combining feedback from previous consultations with fresh demands from residents as it develops its spending priorities for 2027.

The consultation is expected to extend to the other divisions of Lagos State, allowing residents and community stakeholders to identify projects and areas they want the government to prioritise in the coming fiscal year.