African country charges suspects over mass killing
Nigerian authorities have charged nine men over their alleged involvement in an assault that killed 150 people in the West African country’s north-central state of Benue last year.
The suspects, who face 57 terrorism-related counts, were arraigned before a federal court in the national capital, Abuja, on Monday and remanded in prison custody. Prosecutors accused them of carrying out the attack in Yelwata, a community in the Guma district of Benue, in June 2025. Gunmen reportedly raided the village, burning homes and killing dozens of civilians.
According to the charge sheet, the men held planning meetings, raised funds, procured weapons, and mobilized militants across several states ahead of the attack. Local media identified the suspects as Ardo Lawal Mohammed Dono, whom prosecutors say is the ringleader, Ardo Muhammadu Saidu, Alhaji Haruna Abdullahi, Yakubu Adamu, Alhaji Musa Mohammed, Abubakar Adamu, Shaibu Ibrahim, Sale Mohammed, and Bako Jibrin.
The suspects pleaded “not guilty” to the charges and could face severe penalties, including life imprisonment, if convicted.
Benue is located in Nigeria’s Middle Belt region, which has long been plagued by communal violence, including kidnappings and banditry, with armed gangs frequently targeting villages and schools.
The government in Africa’s most populous country was forced to declare a nationwide security emergency in November last year after several incidents of mass kidnappings and deadly attacks.
Abuja has also deployed additional forces and sought international partnerships, including with Washington, to combat insurgents after US President Donald Trump accused Nigeria of failing to protect Christians against “genocide.”
On Sunday, the Nigerian Army said its forces killed a Boko Haram commander, Abu Khalid, and ten other militants during an operation in Borno state. Boko Haram has waged a brutal insurgency since 2009, killing thousands and displacing millions.
