Trial of nine suspected terrorists who allegedly attacked Yelwata community in Benue State on June 13, 2025 could not proceed for the second time yesterday at the Federal High Court in Abuja.
The matter, before Justice Joyce Abdulmalik, was stalled, following a request by the lawyer to the eighth and ninth defendants, Y.A Hassan, who applied for more time to enable him study the case file.
Hassan told the court that he had just been briefed about the case and that it was his “first appearance in the matter and yet to familiarise” himself with the charges.
The federal government had on February 2, arraigned nine defendants linked to the June 13, 2025 attack.
They 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.
When the case was called, Hassan, who appeared for Sale Mohammed and Bako Jibrin (eighth and ninth defendants) informed the court that it was his “first appearance in the matter.”
Appealing for a short adjournment, he explained that he is yet to familiarise himself with the facts of the case, as he had not even seen the charges preferred against his clients.
Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN), who appeared for the prosecution, did not oppose the application, but told Hassan that “evidence-in-chief could be taken” while cross-examination could occur on the next date.
He, however, urged the court to grant a brief date if it wished.
When Hassan insisted that he was not ready, Justice Abdulmalik cautioned him
before adjourning the case.
“Before you take up a case, you are supposed to ask the necessary questions so that you don’t waste the time of the court,” she said.
The judge warned that the matter is of significant public interest and that the court would not tolerate unnecessary delay going forward.
She consequently adjourned the matter until March 9 and 10 for continuation of trial.
The First Prosecution Witness, PW-1, CSP Moses Paul, who gave his testimony while being led in evidence by Oyedepo in February, told the court how the nine suspected terrorists who allegedly attacked Yelwata Community were arrested.
The witness said the attackers, numbering over 100 and armed with AK47, killed about 150 persons in the incident.
Paul, who is an investigator and member of the Intelligence Response Unit, IRU, of the Nigeria Police Force, told the court that investigation into the case is still ongoing and more suspects would be dragged to court.
The nine defendants, accused of orchestrating the June 13, 2025 attack, were charged with 57-count charges under the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
They were accused of planning the attack, recruiting fighters, providing financial and logistical support, and coordinating the armed assault that killed scores of residents and destroyed property.
The defendants, however, pleaded not guilty to the counts and the court ordered that they should be remanded in Kuje Correctional Centre.
