Benue Monarch Orders Herders to Leave Otukpo Kingdom After Deadly Attack

•  Och’Otukpo Odu, Chief John Eimonye directs all herders to leave Otukpo Kingdom following deadly assault on Nobi community.
• Monarch says decision is aimed at protecting lives and preventing further bloodshed, not targeting any ethnic group.
• Calls on security agencies and governments to arrest perpetrators and restore peace across affected communities.

The paramount ruler of Otukpo Kingdom in Benue State, the Och’Otukpo Odu, Chief John Eimonye, has ordered all herders residing or operating within the kingdom to vacate the area immediately following a fresh deadly attack on a community in the locality.

The directive followed Sunday’s attack on Nobi Village in Otukpo District by gunmen suspected to be armed herders, an incident that reportedly claimed several lives and heightened concerns over the worsening security situation in the area.

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Announcing the decision in a statement issued by the Otukpo District Traditional Council and signed by its Secretary, Chief Udeh Adole, the monarch said the measure became necessary to safeguard residents and prevent further attacks.

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Chief Eimonye said the safety of the people of Otukpo remained paramount, noting that repeated violent incidents had spread fear across communities and raised serious concerns about the continued security of lives and property.

The royal father stressed that the directive should not be interpreted as an action against any ethnic group, insisting that it was purely a security decision aimed at preserving peace and protecting innocent residents.

He lamented the recurring attacks that have continued to afflict communities within the kingdom, saying many families had suffered painful losses while residents now live in constant fear of fresh assaults.

Expressing frustration over the prolonged insecurity, the monarch said the people of Otukpo could no longer tolerate criminal elements operating within their ancestral land.

He called on security agencies to intensify operations in vulnerable communities, apprehend those responsible for the latest killings and ensure they are prosecuted.

Chief Eimonye also urged the Federal Government and the Benue State Government to take decisive measures to halt the recurring violence and restore confidence among affected communities.

The attack on Nobi Village is the latest in a string of violent incidents that have continued to plague parts of Benue State, where communities have repeatedly decried killings, displacement and destruction of property linked to armed attacks.