The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, on Monday personally led the federal government’s legal team to file 57 amended charges against nine suspected terrorists over the deadly attack on the Yelwata community in Guma Local Government Area of Benue State, where about 150 persons were reportedly killed on June 13, 2025.
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The amended charge, marked FHC/ABJ/CR/471/2025, was presented before Justice Joyce Abdulmalik of the Federal High Court in Abuja.
Fagbemi informed the court that although 10 defendants were initially listed in the amended charge, the prosecution sought the court’s approval to strike out the name of the sixth defendant, Yakubu Mamman.
The application was not opposed by defence counsel, including Ibrahim Angulu, SAN, A.I. Kaura, and Adamu Abdullahi, and the court subsequently struck out Mamman’s name.
The AGF also applied for the substitution of the initial charge dated September 9, 2025, and filed on September 10, 2025, under which eight defendants were listed, with the amended charge dated January 19, 2026, and filed on January 20, 2026. With no objection from the defence, Justice Abdulmalik struck out the earlier charge.
Following the ruling, Fagbemi requested that the 57-count charge be read to the defendants to enable them to enter their pleas. The counts were being read to the defendants at the time of filing this report.
They pleaded not guilty when the counts were read to them through an interpreter.
The AGF asked for an accelerated trial, and the defendants were remanded at a correctional center, pending the commencement of the trial.
Counsel for the first, eighth, and ninth defendants asked for an oral application for bail.
The AGF said eight witnesses were ready to testify at the trial.
However, Justice Abdulmalik ordered that they be remanded at Kuje Correctional Centre pending trial.
The case was adjourned to February 26 and 27 for trial.
Earlier, the office of the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice assured Nigerians that justice would be served in the matter, sending a strong signal to enemies of the country acting under any disguise.
“The administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is committed to the protection of the lives and properties of all as enshrined in the constitution,” the statement by Kamarudeen Ogundele, the SA to the AGF and Minister of Justice, read.
He said this came after a “painstaking investigation and collaboration by government agencies” .
The nine defendants are Ardo Lawal Mohammed Dono, Ardo Muhammadu Saidu, Alhaji Haruna Abdullahi, Yakubu Adamu, Alhaji Musa Mohammed, Abubakar Adamu, Shaibu Ibrahim, Sale Mohammed, and Bako Jibrin.
According to the amended charge, the suspects are accused of planning and carrying out the attack on Yelwata Community in Guma Local Government Area of Benue State on June 13, 2025, during which several houses were razed, approximately 150 residents were killed, and many others sustained varying degrees of injuries.
The prosecution alleges that the planning meetings took place between May and June 2025 in Nasarawa State, at the palaces of Ardo Lawal Mohammed Dono in Lagia and Ardo Muhammadu Saidu in Kadarko, where the defendants and others still at large conspired, raised funds, recruited armed men from Kwara State, Taraba State, Giza, and surrounding villages in Nasarawa State, and coordinated the acquisition of weapons, logistics, and manpower for the attack.
Ardo Lawal Mohammed Dono — 1st Defendant (16 Individual Counts)
The first defendant faces the heaviest individual charges, described in the amended charge as the principal organiser of the attack. He is specifically charged with:
Knowingly and directly participating in meetings to plan the attack (Count 1, Section 12(a) Terrorism Act 2022); conspiracy to plan the attack (Count 2, Section 26(1)); rendering material support by soliciting cash contributions from other Ardos and kinsmen (Count 3, Section 13(1)(b)); providing instructions to Ardos and kinsmen to organise themselves for the commission of terrorism (Count 4, Section 15(b)); offering to provide weapons for persons for use in the attack (Count 5, Section 17); recruiting persons from Kwara State, Taraba State, Giza, and other surrounding villages in Nasarawa State (Count 6, Section 18); soliciting property by collecting funds from Ardos and kinsmen (Count 7, Section 19); permitting the Ardo’s Palace in Lagia, Nasarawa State, to be used for a meeting to plan the terrorist attack (Count 8, Section 20(a)); directly soliciting funds for use in the commission of terrorism (Count 9, Section 21(1)); conspiracy to participate in terrorist meetings (Count 10, Section 26(1)); aiding and abetting the commission of terrorism (Count 11, Section 26(2)(a)); instigating and instructing Ardos and all Fulani youths in Nasarawa State, Kwara State, Taraba State, Giza, and other surrounding villages to carry out the attack (Count 12, Section 26(2)(b)); procuring the services of armed Fulani men from Giza, Kwara, Taraba States, and surrounding villages (Count 13, Section 26(2)(c)); attempting to commit terrorism by dispatching armed men (Count 14, Section 28(3)); attempting terrorism by conspiring with Alhaji Haruna Abdullahi and others to dispatch armed men (Count 15, Section 28(3)); and engaging in preparations to commit terrorism by coordinating the acquisition of weapons, logistics, manpower, and information (Count 16, Section 29).
Ardo Muhammadu Saidu — 2nd Defendant (15 Individual Counts)
The second defendant, who the amended charge alleges led the actual attack, is charged with: rendering material support by soliciting contributions (Count 17, Section 13(1)(b)); receiving instructions from Ardo Lawal Mohammed Dono to organise the attack which he led (Count 18, Section 15(b)); offering to provide AK-47 rifles for himself, his five sons, and one other person for use in the attack (Count 19, Section 17); recruiting persons from Kwara, Taraba, Giza, and surrounding villages (Count 20, Section 18); soliciting funds from Ardos and kinsmen (Count 21, Section 19); permitting the Ardo’s Palace in Kadarko to be used for a terrorist planning meeting (Count 22, Section 20(a)); directly soliciting funds for the terrorism (Count 23, Section 21(1)); aiding and abetting (Count 24, Section 26(2)(a)); instigating and instructing Fulani youths to carry out the attack (Count 25, Section 26(2)(b)); procuring the services of armed Fulani men (Count 26, Section 26(2)(c)); attempting terrorism by leading and dispatching armed men (Count 27, Section 28(3)); attempting terrorism by conspiring with Ardo Dono and Alhaji Haruna Abdullahi (Count 28, Section 28(3)); engaging in preparations for terrorism (Count 29, Section 29); possession of a prohibited firearm, AK-47, used in the attack (Count 30, Section 3 Firearms Act 2004); and possession of AK-47 firearm without valid licence (Count 31, Section 8 Firearms Act).
Alhaji Haruna Abdullahi — 3rd Defendant (8 Individual Counts)
The third defendant is charged with: rendering material support by soliciting cash contributions from persons present at the meeting held in Ardo Lawal Dono’s palace (Count 32, Section 13(1)(b)); offering to provide weapons (Count 33, Section 17); knowingly making available funds in the sum of N300,000 for use in the terrorist attack (Count 34, Section 21(1)); aiding and abetting (Count 35, Section 26(2)(a)); attempting terrorism by conspiring with Ardo Dono and others to dispatch armed men (Count 36, Section 28(3)); engaging in preparations for terrorism (Count 37, Section 29); possession of a prohibited AK-47 firearm used in the attack (Count 38, Section 3 Firearms Act 2004); and possession of AK-47 without valid licence (Count 39, Section 8 Firearms Act).
Yakubu Adamu — 4th Defendant (2 Individual Counts)
The fourth defendant is charged with: having information that would have been of material assistance in preventing the attack and failing to disclose it (Count 40, Section 16(1)(a)); and engaging in preparations for terrorism based on information received at the terrorist meeting at the Ardo Dono’s palace (Count 41, Section 29).
Alhaji Musa Mohammed — 5th Defendant (4 Individual Counts)
The fifth defendant is charged with: knowingly making available the sum of N200,000 for use in the terrorist attack (Count 42, Section 21(1)); having material information that could have prevented the attack (Count 43, Section 16(1)(a)); attempting terrorism by dispatching armed men (Count 44, Section 28(3)); and engaging in preparations for terrorism by coordinating weapons, logistics, manpower, and information (Count 45, Section 29).
Abubakar Adamu — 7th Defendant (2 Individual Counts)
The seventh defendant is charged with: having material information that could have prevented the attack (Count 48, Section 16(1)(a)); and engaging in preparations for terrorism based on information received at the terrorist meeting at the Ardo Dono’s palace (Count 49, Section 29).
Shaibu Ibrahim — 8th Defendant (3 Individual Counts)
The eighth defendant is charged with: having material information that could have prevented the attack (Count 50, Section 16(1)(a)); rendering material support by making available an unknown amount of money for the attack (Count 51, Section 13(1)(b)); and engaging in preparations for terrorism by coordinating and planning during the meeting at Ardo Lawal’s palace (Count 52, Section 29).
Sale Mohammed — 9th Defendant (3 Individual Counts)
The ninth defendant is charged with: rendering material support by making available an unknown amount of money (Count 53, Section 13(1)(b)); attempting terrorism by dispatching armed men (Count 54, Section 28(3)); and engaging in preparations for terrorism by coordinating and planning during the meeting at Ardo Lawal’s palace (Count 55, Section 29).
Bako Jibrin — 10th Defendant (2 Individual Counts)
The tenth defendant is charged with: having material information that could have prevented the attack (Count 56, Section 16(1)(a)); and engaging in preparations for terrorism by coordinating and planning during the meeting at Ardo Lawal’s palace (Count 57, Section 29).
All nine defendants share three joint counts: Count 1 (knowingly participating in terrorist meetings, Section 12(a)); Count 2 (conspiracy to plan the attack, Section 26(1)); and Count 10 (conspiracy to participate in terrorist meetings, Section 26(1)).
The 57 counts are brought under the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022 (Sections 12(a), 13(1)(b), 15(b), 16(1)(a), 17, 18, 19, 20(a), 21(1), 26(1), 26(2)(a), 26(2)(b), 26(2)(c), 28(3), and 29) and the Firearms Act 2004 (Sections 3, 8, and 27).
The amended charge was signed by D.E. Kaswe, Assistant Director; Maryam Okorie, Assistant Chief State Counsel; and A.A. Kaltungo, Assistant Chief State Counsel — all of the Department of Public Prosecutions of the Federation, for the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice.
Defence counsel includes Ibrahim Angulu, SAN; A.I. Kaura; and Adamu Abdullahi.
The Yelwata attack of June 13, 2025, was one of the deadliest single-day attacks in the history of the Benue State farmer-herder crisis, resulting in approximately 150 deaths, the razing of houses, and the displacement of several community members. The federal government initially filed charges on September 10, 2025, listing eight defendants. The amended charge expands the scope of the prosecution by increasing the number of defendants and counts.
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