Yelwata massacre: Nine suspects face 57-count charge, plead not guilty to terrorism charges

The Federal Government on Monday brought to court several suspects arrested over their alleged involvement in the killings that occurred in Yelwata, Benue State.

The suspects were presented before Justice Joyce Abdul-Malik at the Federal High Court in Abuja.

The prosecution team is being led by the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), who is handling the arraignment of nine defendants.

IDOMA VOICE gathered that , the accused persons are facing a 57-count charge, which is currently being read to them with the aid of an interpreter.

Earlier, the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice reassured Nigerians that those responsible for the violence would be brought to justice, stressing that the move was meant to send a clear warning to individuals threatening national security under any guise.

“The administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is committed to the protection of the lives and properties of all as enshrined in the constitution,” read a statement issued by Kamarudeen Ogundele, Special Adviser to the AGF and Minister of Justice.

He added that the development followed a “painstaking investigation and collaboration by government agencies”.

Yelwata Attack

In June 2025, armed assailants invaded Yelwata community in Guma Local Government Area of Benue State, killing many residents and forcing hundreds to flee their homes.

The attack triggered widespread outrage, protests, and condemnation across the country, after which security agencies announced the arrest of some suspects linked to the incident.

One of the survivors, Msurshima Apeh, later recounted her ordeal before the United States Congress, describing how she witnessed the killing of her five children during the attack.

“In the course of this action, I saw a tree when I lifted my eyes. I raised my hands on the tree and climbed up where I was able to hide myself. My five children that I left below were crying, and in my presence, they were being slaughtered by the terrorists,” she told the House Subcommittee on Africa. The panel was reviewing President Donald Trump’s decision to return Nigeria to the Country of Particular Concern (CPC) list in November 2026.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu had also visited Benue State after the incident and directed security agencies to track down those responsible.

“Police, I hope your men are on alert to listen to information. How come no arrest has been made? I expect there should be an arrest of those criminals,” Tinubu said during a stakeholders’ meeting at the Benue Government House in Makurdi.

The Yelwata killings further compounded the long-standing security challenges in Benue State, which has witnessed repeated violence over the years, including the killing of four persons among them Igbabe Ochi, a House of Assembly candidate for the Otukpo-Akpa State Constituency under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) during the 2019 general election.