Justice Joyce Abdul-Malik of the Federal High Court, Abuja, on Monday ordered the remand of 9 defendants alleged to be involved in the killings of 150 persons in the Yelwata Community of Benue State at the Kuje Correctional Centre, pending their trial.
The defendants, Ardo Lawal Mohammed Dono, Ardo Muhammadu Saidu, Alhaji Haruna Abdullahi, Yakubu Adamu, Mohammed Musa, Abubakar Adamu, Shuaibu Ibrahim, Sale Mohammed, and Bako Jibrin, who are facing 57 terrorism charges, were ordered to be remanded in prison custody pending their trial.
The 6th defendant, Yakubu Mamah, was conspicuously absent in court, and his name was dropped in the amended charge marked FHC/ABJ/CR/471/2025.
The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, personally led the prosecution on behalf of the Federal Government.
Fagbemi appeared in court alongside the Director of Public Prosecutions of the Federation (DPPF), Rotimi Oyedepo, SAN, and three other counsel.
At the sitting, the Attorney-General informed the court that the prosecution had filed a 57-count amended charge against 10 defendants.
He, however, applied for the name of the 6th defendant, Yakubu Maman, to be struck out of the charge and further requested the withdrawal of the earlier charge, leaving only the amended charge for the court’s consideration.
Counsel to the 1st, 8th, and 9th defendants, Ibrahim Angulu (SAN); counsel for the 2nd defendant; and counsel to the 3rd, 4th, 5th, and 7th defendants, Adamu Abdullahi, did not object to the prosecution’s application.
In a brief ruling, Justice Abdul-Malik struck out the earlier charge and ordered that the name of the 6th defendant be removed from the case, as requested by the prosecution.
Following the ruling, the Attorney-General applied for the pleas of the remaining defendants to be taken. When the amended charge was read to them, the defendants pleaded not guilty to all the counts.
The trial judge thereafter adjourned the matter to February 26 and 27, 2026, for the commencement of the full trial and ordered that the defendants be remanded in the Kuje Correctional Centre pending the determination of the case.
The case is expected to proceed to full trial on the adjourned dates, as the Federal Government continues its prosecution of the defendants over the alleged Benue killings.
According to the amended charge, the defendants, Ardo Lawal Mohammed Dono, Ardo Muhammadu Saidu, Alhaji Haruna Abdullahi, Yakubu Adamu, Mohammed Musa, Abubakar Adamu, Shuaibu Ibrahim, Sale Mohammed, and Bako Jibrin, among others, are said to be still at large and allegedly met in Nasarawa State between May and June 2025 to plan and coordinate the attack.
The charge, marked FHC/ABJ/CR/471/2025, stated that:
“That You, Ardo Lawal Mohammed Dono ‘M’, Ardo Muhammadu Saidu ‘M’, Alhaji Haruna Abdullahi ‘M’, Yakubu Adamu ‘M’, Mohammed Musa ‘M’, Abubakar Adamu ‘M’, Shuaibu Ibrahim ‘M’, Sale Mohammed ‘M’, Bako Jibrin ‘M’, and others still at large, 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 one hundred and fifty (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.
Count two reads, “That you, Ardo Lawal Mohammed Dono ‘M’, Muhammadu Saidu ‘M’, Alhaji Haruna Abdullahi ‘M’, Yakubu Adamu ‘M’, Mohammed Musa ‘M’, Abubakar Adamu ‘M’, Shuaibu Ibrahim ‘M’, Sale Mohammed ‘M’, Bako Jibrin ‘M’, and others still at large, sometime between May and June 2025 in Nasarawa State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, conspired among yourselves 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 one hundred and fifty (150) persons in Yelwata. You thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 26(1) of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act 2022 and punishable under Section 12 of the same Act.”
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