In a decisive move following a series of deadly attacks, the Idoma Traditional Council has ordered all herdsmen to vacate Benue South, citing escalating violence and growing insecurity in the region.

The directive, issued after an emergency meeting of the council in Otukpo, came in response to recent assaults on several communities, which have resulted in loss of lives, destruction of property, and mass displacement.

Led by the Och’Idoma, HRM Agabaidu Elaigwu Odogbo Obagaji John, the council said the safety and survival of Idoma people can no longer be guaranteed while armed herders remain in the area.

“We have exercised patience and pursued peace through dialogue, but the bloodshed has continued. We are now compelled to act to protect our people,” the council stated in a communique released Thursday evening.

The council urged state and federal authorities to support their decision and deploy security forces to enforce the order and restore peace across affected communities.

Local leaders and youth groups in Benue South have expressed support for the council’s stance, calling it a long-overdue measure in the face of what they describe as “targeted violence.”

This development adds to rising tensions across parts of Nigeria’s Middle Belt, where clashes between farmers and herders have intensified in recent years, fueling broader ethnic and security challenges.