•Terrorists
The Federal High Court, sitting in Abuja, yesterday, heard chilling details of how over 100 AK-47-wielding terrorists stormed Yelwata community in Benue State, killing more than 150 persons and razing houses, during a coordinated attack.
The revelation came as the court remanded nine defendants over their alleged involvement in the carnage, following their arraignment on a 57-count charge bordering on terrorism, reports Vanguard.
Those facing trial are Ardo Lawal Mohammed Dono, Ardo Muhammadu Saidu, Alhaji Haruna Abdullahi, Yakubu Adamu, Musa Mohammed, Abubakar Adamu, Shaibu Ibrahim, Saleh Mohammed and Bako Jibrin.
The federal government alleged that the defendants participated in a series of meetings held between May and June 2025 in Nasarawa State, where plans were perfected to attack Yelwata in Guma Local Government Area of Benue State. The assault was eventually carried out on June 13, 2025.
At the resumed hearing, the prosecution presented its first witness, Mr. Moses Paul, a Chief Superintendent of Police and member of the Intelligence Response Unit of the Nigeria Police Force.
Testifying before trial Justice Joyce Abdulmalik, the witness alleged that the defendants were engaged and funded by disgruntled Fulani chiefs who convened meetings and raised funds to execute attacks on Benue communities, including Yelwata.
Led in evidence by the Director of Public Prosecutions of the Federation, Mr. Rotimi Oyedepo, SAN, the witness said he was in Apa, Benue State, on a kidnapping assignment when news of the Yelwata attack broke.
“My lord, on June 13, 2025, we received news of an attack in Yelwata. I was in Apa on a kidnapping case when we were drafted to immediately move to Yelwata town,” he said.
According to him, investigations commenced on June 14 and led to the arrest of the defendants in Kadarko and Ageregu—border communities between Benue and Nasarawa states—as well as in Lafia, Nasarawa State.
The witness told the court that the first defendant, Abdullahi, allegedly confessed during interrogation to attending meetings with several Fulani chiefs in Nasarawa State. Some of the meetings, he said, were held at the residence of Ardo Lawal Dono and were convened to address perceived injustices against Fulani herders in Nasarawa and Benue states, including alleged killing of their cattle.
He said that at the end of one of such meetings, Dono, described as head of Ardos in Nasarawa State, allegedly urged participants to carry out a revenge attack.
A second meeting was later held at the residence of the second defendant, Ardo Mohammed Saidu, where it was agreed that funds would be contributed to execute the operation. Abdullahi allegedly admitted contributing N300,000, while another participant contributed N200,000.
The witness further testified that Saidu, also known as Ardo Kadalko, claimed he lost about 250 cows and two children in a community close to Yelwata.
According to the prosecution witness, although the attackers initially targeted a community known as Dawudu, they diverted to Yelwata after encountering stiff resistance.
“The number of people that came for the attack in Yelwata were over 100 and they were wielding AK-47,” the witness said, adding that over 200 persons were attacked in the community, which had become a refuge for displaced villagers.
“People who were taking refuge in Yelwata were also victims of the attack,” he stated, noting that he spent nearly a month in the area conducting investigations.
He added that investigations were ongoing and more arrests could follow.
Justice Abdulmalik adjourned further hearing in the matter till Friday.
The defendants had earlier been remanded in Kuje Prisons, after pleading not guilty to the charge.
They are accused of committing offences contrary to various sections of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022, and punishable under the same law.
