The Federal Government has arraigned nine suspects over their alleged involvement in the v+olent att+ck on Yelwata community in Benue State. The suspects appeared on Monday before Justice Joyce Abdulmalik of the Federal High Court in Abuja.
At the start of proceedings, the Attorney-General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi, informed the court that a 57-count amended charge had been filed against the defendants. The charge, marked FHC/ABJ/CR/471/2025, was filed on January 20, 2026.
Fagbemi requested that the name of one defendant, Yakubu Mamman, be struck out from the case, leaving nine suspects to face trial. The defence lawyers, including Ibrahim Angulu, A.I. Kaura and Adamu Abdullah, raised no objections.
The court consequently removed Mamman’s name from the charge. Justice Abdulmalik also struck out an earlier charge filed on September 10, 2025, which had listed eight defendants. All nine suspects present in court pleaded not guilty to the amended 57-count charge.
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.
