Attack wey kill ova 150 pipo for Yelwata – Court send suspects to prison afta dem plead not guilty

Di federal high court don remand nine terrorism suspects for prison sake of di attack wey hapun for Yelewata community for Benue State, for June 2025.

Justice Joyce Abdulmalik remand give order make di suspects dey for Kuje correctional facility afta dem plead not guilty to di 57-count charge of terrorism.

Wen di matter come up for court on Monday, di Attorney General of di Federation Lateef Fagbemi imsef announce appearance for di prosecution and e inform di court say di defendants bin dey 10 in number, but dem wan comot di name of di sixth defendant Yakubu Maman.

Di defence counsels no object so di trial judge strike out di name of di sixth defendant.

Di remaining nine defendants na: Lawal Muhammed Dunu, Muhammadu Saidu, Haruna Abdullahi, Yakubu Adamu, Mohammed Musa, Abubakar Adamu, Shaibu Ibrahim, Saleh Mohammed, Bako Jubrin.

Oga Fagbemi also tell di court say dem file 57 amended charges against di defendants.

Di charges tok say di defendants bin allegedly conspire to plan an attack on Yelewata community for Goma LGA of Benue State and eventually dem carry out the attack on 13 June 2025. Di attack bin lead to burning of houses, grievous bodily harm and killing of approximately 150 pipo, according to di Nigeria govment.

One by one, di court registrar read out all di 57 charges to di defendants through one Hausa language interpreter, and dem plead not guilty to all of dem.

Afta dem don enta dia plea, AGF Fagbemi ask di court say make di defendants dey remanded for Kuje prison for di duration of di trial, while di court go fix date for trial to start.

Howeva, di di defence lawyers tell di court say dem bin din file for bail for dia clients, but wit di amended charges dem go move new oral bail application.

But justice Joyce Abdulmalik say make dem file formal bail application. She come adjourn di case to February 26 and 27 for continuation.

Brief background on di Yelewata attack

Na on di midnight of June 13/14 2025 na im jaguda pipo carry attack enta Yelewata community for Benue State, begin slaughter di villagers as dem dey sleep and to burn down dia houses.

By daybreak more dosens of pipo don kpai including plenty women and children, and thousands more don dey displaced as dem run comot for di community go dey stay for one Internally Displaced Pipo camp for Makurdi, di Benue State capital.

Govnor of Benue State Hyacinth Alia tell tori pipo afta di attack say e no believe say dis na di normal herdsmen wahala wit farmers wey don dey rampant for many parts of Nigeria including Benue State.

"Di way dis attacks come and di intel we receive, na direct and calibrated plan and dem execute am. And den wen you realise wetin dey go on, e dey beyond just conflict, e dey beyond just ethnic fight between herders and farmers for our state, e dey directed, e dey planned and den, dem go execute am, na terrorism," Guvnor Alia.

Nigeria President Bola Tinubu also visit Benue State afta di attacks, even though e bin no fit get to Yelewata community sake of say di roads dey bad and na rainy season; howeva e promise di pipo say im govment go catch di attackers and bring dem to justice.

Di tori about dis attack travel far across di world sotey di head of di Catholic Church, Pope Leo even tok about am for one of im sermons.

Di Pope say: "On di night of 13/14 of June, for town of Yelwata for di Guma Local Goment Area of Benue State in Nigeria, a terrible massacre bin happen wia more dan 200 pipo bin dey killed in a cruel manner. Most of dem na Internally Displaced Persons hosted by di local Catholic mission. I pray say peace, security, and justice go prevail for Nigeria, a beloved kontri wey dey affected by various forms of violence."