The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja on Monday ordered that nine suspected terrorists accused of carrying out the deadly attack on Yelwata Community in Benue State on June 13, 2025, be remanded at the Kuje Correctional Centre.
Justice Joyce Abdulmalik issued the remand order pending the determination of their bail applications and fixed February 26 and February 27 for the commencement of trial.
The order followed the arraignment of the defendants on a 57-count amended charge bordering on alleged acts of terrorism. The suspects pleaded not guilty to all the counts read to them in court.
After the pleas were taken, the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, who led the prosecution team, requested accelerated hearing and asked the court to remand the defendants pending trial.
“I want to say in line with Section 273 of ACJA (Administration of Criminal Justice Act), 2015, following the plea of the defendants that they are not guilty, it means they have invoked the jurisdiction of your lordship for trial.
“And based on the nature of the trial, I will be asking my lord for accelerated hearing, and the defendants be ordered to be taken to correctional facility pending trial,” Fagbemi told the court.
When Justice Abdulmalik asked how many witnesses the prosecution intended to call, the AGF responded, “For now, we have about eight witnesses.”
Counsel to the 1st, 8th and 9th defendants, Ibrahim Angulu, SAN, informed the court that the defence had already filed a bail application before the amended charge was served earlier in the day. He, however, sought leave to move an oral bail application, citing a previous judicial precedent.
The trial judge declined the request, insisting on strict compliance with court procedure.
“The practice of this court is that you file a formal bail application,” Justice Abdulmalik ruled.
According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), the suspects are accused of carrying out the June 13, 2025, attack in which many houses were razed, about 150 persons were killed, and several others sustained varying degrees of injuries.
They were reportedly arrested through a coordinated operation involving multiple security agencies, including the Department of State Services (DSS).
Those arraigned are Ardo Lawal Mohammed Dono, Ardo Muhammadu Saidu, Alhaji Haruna Abdullahi, Yakubu Adamu, Alhaji Musa Mohammed, Abubakar Adamu, Shaibu Ibrahim, Sale Mohammed, and Bako Jibrin.
Earlier in the proceedings, Fagbemi informed the court that an amended charge had been filed against the defendants. He disclosed that although 10 defendants were initially listed, the prosecution applied for the name of the 6th defendant, Yakubu Mamah, to be struck out.
The defence lawyers, including Angulu, A. I. Kaura, and Adamu Abdullahi, raised no objection, and the court granted the application, removing Mamah’s name from the charge.
The AGF also requested that the earlier charge dated September 9, 2025, and filed on September 10, 2025, which listed eight defendants, be struck out and replaced with the amended charge dated January 19 and filed January 20.
With no opposition from the defence, Justice Abdulmalik struck out the earlier charge and ordered that the amended 57-count charge be read to the defendants.
In count one of the charge marked FHC/ABJ/CR/471/2025, the defendants and others said to be at large were accused of, between May and June 2025 in Nasarawa State, knowingly participating in meetings connected to the planning and execution of terrorist acts.
The prosecution alleged that the defendants planned and carried out the attack on Yelwata Community in Guma Local Government Area of Benue State on June 13, 2025, leading to the burning of homes, grievous bodily harm, and the killing of about 150 people.
The offence was said to be contrary to Section 12(a) of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022, and punishable under the same provision.
In count 25, the 1st defendant, Ardo Lawal Mohammed Dono, was accused of, between May and June 2025 in Nasarawa State, “instigated and instructed other ARDOs and all Fulani youths in Nasarawa State, Kwara State, Taraba State, Giza, and other surrounding villages to carry out attack on Yelwata Community” on June 13, 2025, where no fewer than 150 persons were allegedly killed.
That offence was said to be contrary to Section 26(2)(b) of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022, and punishable under the same law, among several other counts contained in the charge.
What you should know
The Yelwata attack is one of the deadliest incidents recorded in Benue State in recent years, triggering nationwide outrage and renewed calls for accountability.
The arraignment of the suspects marks a significant step in the Federal Government’s effort to prosecute alleged perpetrators of terrorism-related violence.
The case also highlights the use of Nigeria’s Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022, as authorities seek stiffer penalties and expedited trials for offences linked to mass killings, destruction of communities, and threats to national security.
