Nine suspects accused of involvement in the deadly Yelwata attack in Benue State on Monday pleaded not guilty to a 57-count amended charge bordering on terrorism before the Federal High Court in Abuja.
The suspects were arraigned before Justice Joyce Abdul-Malik following the withdrawal of charges against the sixth defendant, Yakubu Mamman, by the Attorney-General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN).
It is reported that the office of the AGF, in a statement on Sunday, said the suspects who were “strongly linked to the killings in Yelwata” would be arraigned on Monday following “painstaking investigation and collaboration by government agencies.”
Appearing for the complainant were the AGF in person and the Director of Public Prosecution of the Federation, Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN).
Ibrahim Angulu (SAN), Christiana Sylvester and Aminu Abubakar Bagudu represented the 1st, 8th and 9th defendants, respectively, while A.I. Kaura appeared for the 2nd defendant. Adamu Abdullahi held brief for the 3rd, 4th, 5th, 7th and 10th defendants.
Fagbemi informed the court that the prosecution had filed a 57-count amended charge dated January 19, 2026, and filed on January 20, 2026, against 10 defendants.
He said the prosecution was withdrawing the charge against the sixth defendant and also applied to withdraw the earlier eight-count charge marked FHC/ABJ/CR/471/2025, dated September 9, 2025.
The defence did not object, prompting Justice Abdul-Malik to strike out the name of the sixth defendant and withdraw the earlier charge.
The remaining defendants are Ardo Lawal Mohammed, Muhammadu Saidu, Alhaji Haruna Abdullahi, Yakubu Adamu, Muhammed Musa, Abubakar Adamu, Shaibu Ibrahim, Saleh Mohammed and Bako Jibrin.
Following an application by the prosecution, the court ordered that the amended charge be read to the defendants and their pleas taken with the aid of an interpreter.
In count one of the charge, the defendants were accused of knowingly participating in meetings between May and June 2025 in Nasarawa State to plan an attack on the Yelwata community in Guma Local Government Area of Benue State.
“That you… sometime between May and June 2025, in Nasarawa State, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable 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. You 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 pleaded not guilty to all 57 counts.
Fagbemi told the court that by virtue of Section 273 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, the defendants, by their pleas, had invoked the court’s jurisdiction for trial and applied for an accelerated hearing.
He also asked that the defendants be remanded in a correctional facility pending trial and that a trial date be fixed.
An oral application for bail was made by Ibrahim Angulu, but the judge directed the defence to file a proper application in response to an amended motion on notice by the prosecution. Counsel subsequently sought a short date to move the bail application.
The prosecution informed the court that it intended to call eight witnesses during the trial.
The matter was adjourned to February 26 and 27, 2026, for the commencement of trial, while Justice Abdul-Malik ordered that the defendants be remanded at the Kuje Correctional Centre pending trial.
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