On Monday, 2 February 2026, Nigeria’s Federal Government brought nine people to court over the deadly attack in Yelwata, a community in Guma Local Government Area of Benue State, in north central Nigeria.
The suspects were arraigned before Justice Joyce Abdul-Malik, a judge of the Federal High Court in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital. Okay News reports that prosecutors filed a 57-count charge against the defendants.
Nigeria’s Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, who is a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), is leading the prosecution.
In court, the charges were being read to the defendants with the help of an interpreter, as the formal process of taking the counts and their responses continued.
Earlier, the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice said the case would be pursued to its conclusion, adding that the government’s actions were meant to show that anyone involved in violence would be held accountable.
“The administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is committed to the protection of the lives and properties of all as enshrined in the constitution,” said Kamarudeen Ogundele, Special Assistant (SA) to the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, in a statement.
He added that the prosecution followed what he described as a “painstaking investigation and collaboration by government agencies”.
What Happened In Yelwata
In June 2025, gunmen attacked Yelwata in Benue State, killing many residents and forcing hundreds of others to flee their homes. The attack triggered public anger, including protests, and drew condemnation from different quarters in Nigeria and abroad.
Nigeria’s security agencies later said they had arrested suspects linked to the violence, which led to Monday’s arraignment in Abuja.
A survivor of the Yelwata attack, Msurshima Apeh, later spoke about her experience before the United States Congress, the national legislature of the United States, during a hearing by the House Subcommittee on Africa. She told lawmakers she watched her five children die during the assault.
“In the course of this action, I saw a tree when I lifted my eyes. I raised my hands on the tree and climbed up where I was able to hide myself. My five children that I left below were crying, and in my presence, they were being slaughtered by the terrorists,” she told the hearing, which also examined President Donald Trump’s decision to return Nigeria to the Country of Particular Concern (CPC) list in November 2026.
After the Yelwata violence, Nigeria’s President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, visited Benue State and directed security agencies to identify and arrest those responsible.
“Police, I hope your men are on alert to listen to information. How come no arrest has been made? I expect there should be an arrest of those criminals,” Tinubu said during a meeting with stakeholders at the Benue State Government House in Makurdi, the state capital.
The Yelwata killings also added to a wider pattern of violent incidents reported in parts of Benue State over the years, including political and community related attacks that have left families grieving and communities demanding stronger protection.
