Benue State Commissioner for Information, Solomon Iorpev, has stated that the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, Peter Obi, is courting trouble with the state government.

Iorpev, who was reacting to the blockage of Obi by some youths on Tuesday, said this was not the first time Obi had ignored protocol by failing to officially inform the state government about his visit to the state, considering his status.

The commissioner described Obi as a high-profile person and a former governor whose security should be provided by the host state.

He said, “A high-profile person who has been a former governor of a state is coming into the state; he should have written a letter to the State Government.

“We are supposed to guarantee his safety and protection, but in an instance where no letter was written, we could not guarantee his safety.

“This is not the first time he is doing this. He is just looking for our trouble. We are peace loving and hospitable people.”

The commissioner, who said he did not know those behind the attack on Obi, however, said that Obi’s visit regrettably coincided with the meeting of youths from the 23 local government areas of the state.

“So, if they were coming from either Tarka, Gboko, Buruku, Ushongo, Konshisha or Vandeikya at the same time of his visit and blocked the road, it is unfortunate. I do not know the youths who did that,” the commissioner said. (PUNCH)