Yelwata Killings: FG slams 57 new counts aginst suspects

The Federal High Court in Abuja on Monday approved sweeping amendments to the charges against nine suspected terrorists accused of carrying out a deadly assault on Yelwata community in Benue State, where about 150 people were killed.

Leading the Federal Government’s legal team, the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, informed the court that prosecutors had filed a fresh 57-count amended charge against the defendants.

Addressing Justice Joyce Abdulmalik, Fagbemi disclosed that although the revised charge initially listed 10 defendants, the prosecution sought the removal of the sixth defendant, Yakubu Mamman, from the case.

The request went unchallenged by defence counsel, including Ibrahim Angulu, SAN, A. I. Kaura and Adamu Abdullahi, and the court subsequently struck Mamman’s name off the charge.

The Attorney-General also asked the court to formally replace the original charge dated 9 September 2025 and filed on 10 September 2025, which named eight defendants, with the newly amended charge dated 19 January 2026 and filed on 20 January 2026, marked FHC/ABJ/CR/471/2025.

With no objection from the defence, the earlier charge was set aside.

Following this, Fagbemi requested that the 57 counts be read to the accused persons for the purpose of taking their pleas.

The defendants are alleged to have executed the attack on 13 June 2025, during which numerous homes were set ablaze, scores of residents were injured and about 150 people were reportedly massacred.

Those standing trial are Ardo Lawal Mohammed, Muhammadu Saidu, Alhaji Haruna Abdullahi, Yakubu Adamu, Muhammed Musa, Abubakar Adamu, Shaibu Ibrahim, Saleh Mohammed and Bako Jibrin.

Proceedings were ongoing as the charges continued to be read in court.