Yelwata massacre: FG re-arraigns 9 suspects on amended charges

2026-02-02 - 11:19

The Federal High Court in Abuja, on Monday, amended the charge against nine suspected terrorists who allegedly attacked Yelwata in Benue, where about 150 persons were killed. The Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Mr Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, who led the Federal Government’s team of lawyers to court, told Justice Joyce Abdulmalik of the Federal High Court that a 57-amended count had been filed against the defendants. Fagbemi informed the court that though 10 defendants were earlier listed in the amended charge, he sought the order of court striking out the name of the 6th defendant, Yakubu Mamman. And the defence lawyers, including Ibrahim Angulu, SAN; A. I. Kaura and Adamu Abdullahi, did not oppose AGF’s application and Mamman’s name was struck out from the charge. Fagbemi also applied that the initial charge dated Sept. 9, 2025, but filed Sept. 10, 2025, where eight defendants were listed, be substituted for the amended charge dated Jan. 19, but filed Jan. 20 marked: FHC/ABJ/CR/471/2025. After the defence did not object to the application, the judge struck out the earlier charge. The AGF then applied that the 57 counts be read to the defendants to take their plea. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the suspected terrorists were alleged to have carried out the attack on June 13, 2025, where many houses were burnt down and about 150 people were massacred, while others sustained various degrees of injuries. The nine suspects include Ardo Lawal Mohammed, Muhammadu Saidu, Alhaji Haruna Abdullahi, Yakubu Adamu, Muhammed Musa, Abubakar Adamu, Shaibu Ibrahim, Saleh Mohammed and Bako Jibrin. The 57 counts are currently being read to the defendants. (NAN)