A Federal High Court in Abuja presided over by Justice Joyce Abdulmalik on Wednesday, 4 March, 2026 adjourned the trial of nine men accused of masterminding the 2025 Yelwata massacre following a request for adjournment by counsel for two of the defendants.
Justice Abdulmalik, adjourned proceedings after Y.A. Hassan, who appeared for the eighth and ninth defendants, Sale Mohammed and Bako Jibrin, told the court it was his first appearance in the matter and that he was yet to familiarise himself with the charges.
The Federal Government had on February 2 arraigned the nine suspects over the June 13, 2025, attack on Yelwata village in Guma Local Government Area of Benue State, where about 150 persons were reportedly killed.
The prosecution, led by the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, slammed the defendants with a 57-count amended terrorism charge under the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
The accused persons are: Ardo Lawal Mohammed Dono, Ardo Muhammadu Saidu, Alhaji Haruna Abdullahi, Yakubu Adamu, Musa Mohammed, Abubakar Adamu, Shaibu Ibrahim, Sale Mohammed and Bako Jibrin.
When the matter was called for hearing, other defence counsel announced appearances for their respective clients, before Hassan informed the court that he had just taken over the brief for the eighth and ninth defendants.
He urged the court to grant a short adjournment, explaining that he had not been furnished with the charge and was yet to acquaint himself with the facts of the case.
I have not even seen the charges,” he said, adding that it would be difficult for him to proceed with the trial under the circumstances.
Responding, the Director of Public Prosecutions of the Federation, Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN), who appeared for the prosecution, did not oppose the application for adjournment.
He, however, suggested that the court could take evidence-in-chief from the prosecution witness, while cross-examination could be deferred till the next adjourned date.
Oyedepo nonetheless urged the court to grant only a brief adjournment if it was inclined to allow the request.
Hassan insisted he was not ready to proceed in any form.
Justice Abdulmalik cautioned the defence counsel, stressing that it was not the responsibility of the prosecution to continually furnish the defence with charges once representation had changed.
“You are supposed to take the charge from the previous lawyer. It is not the duty of the prosecution to keep furnishing the charges to the defence,” the judge said.
She added that counsel ought to make necessary enquiries before accepting a brief to avoid wasting the court’s time.
“Before you take a case, you are supposed to ask necessary questions so you don’t waste the time of the court,” she warned.
The judge further noted that the case was of significant public interest and made it clear that the court would not tolerate unnecessary delays going forward.
She subsequently adjourned the matter till March 9 and 10 for the continuation of the trial.
The nine defendants were accused of orchestrating the June 13 attack on the Yelwata community, which allegedly left scores dead and properties destroyed.
In the amended charge, the government alleged that the defendants planned the assault, recruited fighters, provided financial and logistical support and coordinated the armed attack on the community.
The defendants had pleaded not guilty to all counts during their arraignment. The court remanded them at the Kuje Correctional Centre with commencement of trial initially fixed for February 26 and 27, 2026.
However, proceedings on February 27 were equally stalled after the eighth and ninth defendants were left without legal representation, following the withdrawal of their former counsel.
Justice Abdulmalik had then adjourned the matter to March 4 to enable them resolve their representation.
Source: The Punch online
