The trial of nine suspects linked to the 2025 Yelwata massacre in Benue State experienced another delay on Wednesday at the Federal High Court in Abuja, following a fresh adjournment.
The pause in proceedings arose after counsel to the eighth and ninth defendants, Y.A. Hassan, informed the court that he was making his initial appearance in the case and requested additional time to acquaint himself with the details.
Hassan explained that the prior counsel had not transferred the complete case files, leaving him unprepared to continue effectively.
The Director of Public Prosecutions, Rotimi Oyedepo, raised no objection to the request but recommended that the court grant only a brief adjournment.
Justice Joyce Abdulmalik, while approving the request, reminded all parties of the case’s significance to the public, emphasizing that the court would no longer tolerate unwarranted delays. She stressed that the court had been “bending over backwards” to accommodate the defence and subsequently rescheduled the proceedings for day-to-day trial on March 9 and 10.
The suspects, initially arraigned on February 2 by the Federal Government, face a 57-count charge over their alleged involvement in the deadly attack on the Yelwata community in Guma Local Government Area. Upon arraignment, the defendants pleaded not guilty through an interpreter.
The Attorney General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi, requested an accelerated trial and confirmed that eight witnesses were ready to testify. Justice Abdulmalik remanded the accused at Kuje Correctional Centre, ordering their continued detention pending the trial, which had previously been adjourned to February 26 and 27.
The incident that led to the trial occurred in June 2025 when gunmen stormed the Yelwata community, leaving scores dead and hundreds displaced. The violence provoked nationwide outrage, with security agencies subsequently detaining individuals suspected to have orchestrated the attack.
Survivors recounted harrowing experiences, including Msurshima Apeh, who described to the United States Congress how she witnessed the killing of her five children. She recounted, “In the course of this action, I saw a tree when I lifted my eyes. I raised my hands on the tree and climbed up where I was able to hide myself. My five children that I left below were crying, and in my presence, they were being slaughtered by the terrorists.” Her testimony came before a House Subcommittee on Africa examining President Donald Trump’s decision to return Nigeria to the Country of Particular Concern (CPC) list in November 2026.
In the aftermath of the attack, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu visited Benue State, urging security forces to apprehend the perpetrators.
Speaking at the Benue Government House in Makurdi, the president directed security agencies, stating, “Police, I hope your men are on alert to listen to information. How come no arrest has been made? I expect there should be an arrest of those criminals.” The massacre in Yelwata added to the history of violence in Benue, including the killing of four individuals in Otobi, among them PDP House of Assembly candidate Igbabe Ochi, in the 2019 elections.
Government officials have assured Nigerians that justice will be pursued diligently. Kamarudeen Ogundele, Senior Adviser to the AGF and Minister of Justice, emphasized that the administration is committed to protecting lives and property as enshrined in the Constitution.
He noted that the prosecution followed a “painstaking investigation and collaboration by government agencies,” signaling that perpetrators acting under any guise would face the law.
What you should know
The trial of suspects accused of the 2025 Yelwata massacre remains pending due to a change in legal representation for some defendants, who require time to review case files.
The massacre, which left scores dead and hundreds displaced, has drawn national and international attention, with survivors providing harrowing testimonies to global bodies.
The Federal High Court has emphasized the importance of a timely trial, rescheduling day-to-day proceedings for early March, while the government assures that justice will be delivered.
