Yelwata killings: AGF Fagbemi leads prosecution of nine suspects

From Godwin Tsa, Abuja

The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), is leading the prosecution of nine suspects linked to the killings in Yelwata community in Guma Local Government Area of Benue State.

The defendants are facing a 57-count charge of terrorism for allegedly planning attacks that led to the burning of properties and the killing of over 200 persons.

The prosecution alleged that the defendants provided resources and solicited support used in carrying out the attack.

The defendants, who are being arraigned before Justice Joyce Abdulmalik of the Federal High Court, Abuja, have pleaded not guilty to all the counts.

Yelwata was attacked on 13 June 2025, when gunmen stormed the town in a coordinated overnight assault that left more than 100 people dead, according to rights groups and local accounts. Homes and markets were razed, while hundreds of residents were injured or displaced.

Amnesty International described the attack as part of an “alarming escalation of violence” in Benue State and accused the Nigerian authorities of failing to halt what it called “almost daily bloodshed” in the state.

President Bola Tinubu visited Makurdi, the Benue State capital, days after the attack, describing the killings as “senseless bloodletting.” He directed security chiefs to act decisively and instructed the Benue and Nasarawa State governments to form a joint peace committee.