Tiv Traditional council orders herdsmen to vacate Benue farmlands by end of May

The Tiv Area Traditional Council has directed all herders to vacate Tiv lands by the end of May 2025, citing persistent attacks on farmers and the growing threat of food insecurity in Benue State and across Nigeria.

This resolution followed an emergency meeting held at the palace of the Tor Tiv in Gboko, chaired by His Royal Majesty, Orcivirigh Professor James Ortese Iorzua Ayatse. The meeting was attended by all graded traditional rulers from across the Tiv Kingdom.

In a communiqué signed by the council’s secretary, Shinyi Tyozua, the traditional leaders expressed serious concern over the ongoing violence allegedly perpetrated by armed herders. They highlighted frequent attacks and killings in key Local Government Areas including Kwande, Katsina-Ala, Logo, Ukum, Guma, Makurdi, Gwer-West, Gwer-East, and Buruku.

The council warned that these unprovoked attacks have disrupted farming activities at a crucial time in the agricultural calendar. They noted that if the situation continues unchecked, it could trigger mass hunger and worsen the already fragile national food situation.

As a response, the council called on herders to begin the immediate and peaceful withdrawal from Tiv lands. It emphasized that ensuring the safety of farmers and enabling a successful 2025 planting season must take priority.

They also urged traditional and political leaders in the affected areas to initiate peaceful dialogue with herders to ensure their relocation is handled without violence.

The council further appealed to the Benue State Government to create a conducive environment that would facilitate the smooth and peaceful exit of herders from Tiv farmlands, thereby allowing displaced farmers to return to their communities and resume cultivation.