The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has ordered the remand of the nine suspects arraigned by the Federal Government over their alleged involvement in the massacre of about 150 people in Yelwata, a town in Benue state in June last year at the Kuje Correctional Centre in Abuja.
The trial Judge, Justice Joyce Abdul-Malik made the order on Monday, during proceedings in the criminal matter marked FHC/ABJ/CR/471/2025, in which the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, personally led the prosecution team on behalf of the Federal Government while the defendants were represented by Ibrahim Angulu, SAN, A.I Kaura and Adamu Abdullahi respectively.
Fagbemi, who appeared in court along with the Director of Public Prosecutions of the Federation (DPPF), Rotimi Oyedepo, SAN, and three other counsel informed the court that the prosecution had filed a 57-count amended charge against ten defendants over the Yelwata killings.
He, however, applied for the name of the 6th defendant, Yakubu Mamman, to be struck out of the charge and further requested the withdrawal of the earlier charge filed on September 9, leaving only the 57-count amended charge filed on January 20 for the court’s consideration. The defendants pleaded not guilty to all the counts.
After the not guilty plea of the defendants, the AGF requested for a date for trial and that the defendants be remanded at the Correctional Centre pending trial. He also prayed the court for accelerated hearing of the matter.
The AGF told the court that the prosecution has about eight witnesses lined up to testify in the matter.
The trial judge, who overruled the oral bail application of the defendants adjourned the matter till February 26 and 27, 2026, for the commencement of full trial and ordered that the defendants be remanded in the Kuje Correctional Centre pending trial.
According to the amended charge, the defendants, Ardo Lawal Mohammed Dono, Ardo Muhammadu Saidu, Alhaji Haruna Abdullahi, Yakubu Adamu, Alhaji Mohammed Musa, Abubakar Adamu, Shaibu Ibrahim, Sale Mohammed, and Bako Jibrin, among others said to be still at large allegedly met in Nasarawa State between May and June 2025 to plan and coordinate the attack.
One of the counts alleged that, Ardo Lawal Mohammed Dono, Ardo Muhammadu Saidu, Alhaji Haruna Abdullahi, Yakubu Adamu, Mohammed Musa, Abubakar Adamu, Shaibu Ibrahim, Saleh Mohammed, Bako Jibrin and others still at large, sometime between May and June 2025 in Nasarawa State within the jurisdiction of the Court, knowingly and directly participated in meetings in connection with the commission of an act of terrorism, to wit: to plan an attack on Yelwata Community in Guma Local Government Area of Benue State, the attack which was subsequently carried out on the 13th day of June 2025 and resulted in the burning of houses, grievous bodily harm, and the death of approximately 150 persons, thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 12(a) of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022 and punishable under the same section.
The defendants were also accused to have, sometime between May and June 2025 in Nasarawa State conspired among themselves to plan an attack on Yelwata Community in Guma Local Government Area of Benue State, the attack which was subsequently carried out on the 13th day of June 2025, and resulted in the burning of houses, grievous bodily harm, and the death of approximately 150 persons in Yelwata, thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 26(1) of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act 2022 and punishable under Section 12 of the same Act.
Count 57 reads, “That You, Bako Jibrin ‘M’, between May and June 2025 in Nasarawa State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, engaged in preparations to commit an act of terrorism by coordinating and planning during the meeting at Ardo Lawal’s palace in the execution on the attack on Yelwata Community in Guma Local Government Area of Benue State, the attack which was subsequently carried out on the 13th day of June 2025, and resulted in the burning of houses, grievous bodily harm, and the death of approximately one hundred and fifty (150) persons in Yelwata. You thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 29 of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022 and punishable under the same Act”.
The Federal Government said in a statement on Sunday that, the arraignment of the defendants came after a painstaking investigation and collaboration by government agencies.
In an earlier statement on Sunday, the AGF assured Nigerians that justice will be ensured in the matter to send a strong signal to the enemies of the country, acting under any disguise.
“The administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is committed to the protection of lives and property of all as enshrined in the constitution”, AGF stated in the statement.
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