The Federal Government has arraigned nine suspects over their alleged roles in the deadly terrorist attack on Yelwata community in Benue State, an incident that claimed the lives of more than 200 residents in June 2025.
The suspects were brought before Justice Joyce Abdulmalik of the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja on Monday, where they faced a 57-count amended charge bordering on terrorism and related offences.
In a move underscoring the gravity of the case, the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, personally led the prosecution team. He was supported by the Director of Public Prosecution of the Federation, Rotimi Oyedepo, SAN, alongside three other senior government lawyers.
At the commencement of proceedings, the Attorney General informed the court that the prosecution had filed a 57-count amended charge against the defendants. He explained that although the amended charge initially listed ten defendants, the prosecution had applied for the removal of the sixth defendant, Yakubu Mamman.
The application to strike out Mamman’s name was not opposed by defence counsel, including Ibrahim Angulu, SAN, A. I. Kaura, and Adamu Abdullahi. The court subsequently granted the request and formally struck out Mamman’s name from the charge.
Fagbemi further applied for the substitution of an earlier charge dated September 9, 2025, and filed on September 10, 2025, which had listed eight defendants, with the amended charge dated January 19 and filed on January 20, 2026. The amended charge was marked FHC/ABJ/CR/471/2025.
With no objection from the defence, Justice Abdulmalik struck out the earlier charge and ordered that the amended charge be read to the defendants for the purpose of taking their pleas.
The nine defendants now standing trial are Ardo Lawal Mohammed, Muhammadu Saidu, Alhaji Haruna Abdullahi, Yakubu Adamu, Muhammed Musa, Abubakar Adamu, Shaibu Ibrahim, Saleh Mohammed and Bako Jibrin.
According to the prosecution, the defendants allegedly carried out coordinated attacks on Yelwata community on June 13, 2025, during which numerous houses were set ablaze and scores of residents were brutally killed.
Court documents allege that about 150 people were massacred during the attack, while several others sustained varying degrees of injuries. The assault sparked widespread outrage across Benue State and beyond, with calls for justice for victims of one of the deadliest communal attacks recorded in the area in recent years.
The federal government has maintained that the prosecution of the suspects forms part of its broader efforts to tackle terrorism, banditry and violent crimes across the country, particularly in communities repeatedly targeted by armed groups.
The matter was adjourned for further proceedings as the court prepared to take the pleas of the defendants and proceed with the trial.