February 26, (THEWILL) — The first prosecution witness, CSP Moses Paul, told the Federal High Court in Abuja on Thursday how the June 13, 2025, attack on the Yelwata community in Benue State was orchestrated, providing details on the arrests of nine suspected terrorists and the planning meetings that allegedly led to the massacre.
Testifying before Justice Joyce Abdulmalik, Paul, an investigator and member of the Intelligence Response Unit of the Nigeria Police Force, stated that the attackers, numbering over 100 and armed with AK-47 rifles, killed approximately 150 people during the assault.
He noted that investigations remain ongoing and more arrests could be made.
“The number of people that came for the attack in Yelwata were over 100 and they were wielding AK-47s. Investigation into the case is still ongoing. Any moment from now, we may still bring another set of people,” Paul told the court.
The nine men currently facing trial 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.
Led in evidence by the Director of Public Prosecution of the Federation, Rotimi Oyedepo, SAN, Paul testified that the attack was carried out by individuals on a retaliatory mission.
He explained that he became personally familiar with the defendants after participating in their arrests across three communities in Nasarawa State shortly after the incident.
Paul recounted that he was in Apa, Benue State, on a kidnapping case on June 13, 2025, when his team was drafted to move to Yelwata.
They arrived on June 14 and gathered the intelligence that led to the arrests in Kadalko, Ageregu, and Lafia.
The witness revealed that the attack had initially been planned for Dawudu village, but after the assailants were repelled, they targeted Yelwata instead.
He described Yelwata as a meeting point for displaced people from other villages, meaning those seeking refuge were also among the victims. Paul, who spent nearly a month in Yelwata during the investigation, stated that the arrest of Alhaji Haruna Abdullahi in Ageregu village was the first breakthrough.
Abdullahi reportedly admitted to attending meetings at the homes of Ardo Lawal Dono and Ardo Mohammed Saidu, where the plans were discussed and funds were contributed.
According to the testimony, Abdullahi contributed N300,000 toward the attack, while another participant gave N200,000.
These meetings allegedly involved grievances regarding personal losses, such as the deaths of cattle and children, which served as the motivation for the assault.
The prosecution confirmed that other defendants corroborated these planning sessions in their statements. The trial has been adjourned until Friday for the continuation of the hearing.
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