A prosecution witness, Moses Paul, told Federal High Court Abuja on Thursday that more than 200 armed men wielding AK-47 rifles carried out the attack on Yelwata community on June 13, 2025 and killed over 150 people .
The attackers also destroyed properties belongings to members of the community worth over millions of Naira.
The witness, Moses Paul, a team leader with the Intelligence Response Team (IRT) of the Nigerian Police Force is the first prosecution witness (PWI) in the trial of nine accused persons said to be sponsors and organizers of the deathly attack.
The Attorney General of the Federation AGF and Minister of Justice Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), had on February 2, 2026, arraigned the nine suspects linked to the deadly attack.
The nine suspects include Ardo Lawal Mohammed, Muhammadu Saidu, Alhaji Haruna Abdullahi, Yakubu Adamu, Muhammed Musa, Abubakar Adamu, Shaibu Ibrahim, Saleh Mohammed and Bako Jibrin.
During the proceedings, the AGF who led the Federal Government’s team of lawyers to court, told Justice Joyce Abdulmalik of the Federal High Court that a 57-amended count had been filed against the defendants.
Fagbemi informed the court that though 10 defendants were earlier listed in the amended charge, he sought the order of court striking out the name of the 6th defendant, Yakubu Mamman.
The application was not opposed to by the defence counsel, including Ibrahim Angulu, SAN; A. I. Kaura and Adamu Abdullahi.
Accordingly, Mamman’s name was struck out from the charge by the court. Fagbemi also applied that the initial charge dated September 9, 2025, but filed September 10, 2025, where eight defendants were listed, be substituted for the amended charge dated January 19, but filed January 20 marked: FHC/ABJ/CR/471/2025.
After the defence did not object to the application, the judge struck out the earlier charge.
The AGF then applied that the 57 counts be read to the defendants to take their plea.
The defendants were alleged to have carried out the attack on June 13, 2025, where many houses were burnt down and about 150 people were massacred, while others sustained various degrees of injuries.
After their not guilty plea, the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Mr Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, who led the team of lawyers in the case, sought a trial date to enable them present their evidence against the defendants.
Paul, who was led in evidence on Thursday by the Director of Public Prosecutions, Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN), told the court how the attackers were allegedly commissioned and funded by some disgruntled Fulani chiefs who held meetings and pooled resources to execute the attack.
The witness testified that he was in Apa, Benue State, on the day of the incident when he received a distress call and was immediately assigned to investigate.
He said that upon arrival in Yelwata, his team commenced investigations which led to the arrest of the defendants in Kadarko, Ageregu, and Nasarawa State.
According to him, the first defendant to be arrested was Haruna Abdullahi, apprehended in Ageregu, Nasarawa State.
He told the court that Abdullahi, during interrogation, confessed to attending meetings involving Fulani chiefs in Nasarawa, beginning at the residence of one Ardo Lawal.
The meetings, he said, were convened to address what was described as the alleged unfair treatment of Fulani in Nasarawa and Benue States, including the killing of their cattle and some of their kinsmen.
The witness further stated that Abdullahi allegedly confessed that the chiefs mobilised funds and engaged armed men to carry out the attack.
He added that the initial target was said to be Daudu community, but upon encountering resistance there, the assailants reportedly diverted to Yelwata where the attack was carried out.
Earlier, the court declined a request by counsel to the first defendant to move motions challenging the court’s jurisdiction and seeking bail.
Defence counsel had informed the court that the first defendant had suffered a stroke while in the custody of the Nigerian Correctional Service.
The defendants and others still at large were alleged to have, sometime between May and June 2025 in Nasarawa State, knowingly and directly participated in meetings in connection with the commission of an act of terrorism.
They were said to have planned the attack on Yelwata Community in Guma Local Government Area of Benue, and subsequently carried it out June 13, 2025, resulting in the burning of houses, grievous bodily harm, and the death of approximately 150 persons.
The offence is said to be contrary to Section 12(a) of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022 and punishable under the same section.
In count 25, Ardo Lawal Mohammed Dono (1st defendant) was alleged to have, between May and June 2025 in Nasarawa State, “instigated and instructed other ARDOs and all Fulani youths in Nasarawa State, Kwara State, Taraba State, Giza, and other surrounding villages to carry out attack on Yelwata Community” on June 13, 2025, where at least 150 persons died.
The offence is contrary to Section 26(2)(b) of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022 and punishable under the same Act, among other counts.
Meanwhile, Justice Joyce Abdulmalik adjourned proceedings to February 27 for continuation of the examination of the first prosecution witness.