Benue Terror Attack Trial: AGF Fagbemi arraigns suspected terrorists on 57-count charge over Yelwata massacre
The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja on Monday amended charges against nine suspected terrorists accused of carrying out the deadly Benue terror attack in Yelwata, where about 150 persons were reportedly killed.
The amendment followed an application by the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Lateef Fagbemi, SAN.
AGF Fagbemi, who led the Federal Government’s legal team, informed Justice Joyce Abdulmalik that a 57-count amended charge had been filed against the defendants in connection with the Benue terror attack. He explained that although 10 defendants were initially listed, the prosecution sought the court’s permission to strike out the name of the sixth defendant, Yakubu Mamman.
The defence lawyers, including Ibrahim Angulu, SAN, A. I. Kaura, and Adamu Abdullahi, did not oppose the application. Consequently, the court struck out Mamman’s name from the charge.
AGF Fagbemi further applied that the initial charge dated September 9, 2025, and filed on September 10, 2025, be substituted with the amended charge dated January 19 and filed on January 20, marked FHC/ABJ/CR/471/2025. With no objection from the defence, the judge struck out the earlier charge.
Following this, the AGF requested that the 57 counts be read to the defendants for them to take their plea. The court granted the application, paving the way for the trial to proceed.
The suspects were alleged to have carried out the Benue terror attack on June 13, 2025, during which several houses were burnt and about 150 people were massacred, while many others sustained various degrees of injuries. The incident had sparked widespread outrage and calls for justice.
Those standing trial include Ardo Lawal Mohammed, Muhammadu Saidu, Alhaji Haruna Abdullahi, Yakubu Adamu, Muhammed Musa, Abubakar Adamu, Shaibu Ibrahim, Saleh Mohammed, and Bako Jibrin.
As of the time of filing this report, the 57 counts were being read to the defendants in court.
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