Court admits AK-47 as evidence in Yelwata attack trial
Federal High Court Admits AK-47 Evidence in Guma Attack Trial
Abuja — The Federal High Court in Abuja on Monday admitted into evidence an AK-47 rifle believed to be linked to the June 13, 2025, attack on Yelwata in Guma Local Government Area of Benue State.
Justice Joyce Abdulmalik accepted the weapon after it was presented by the first prosecution witness, Moses Paul, a senior officer with the Nigeria Police Force Intelligence Response Unit. Paul testified that the firearm was recovered from defendant Ardo Muhammadu Saidu.
Paul noted that the rifle contained several naira notes, which he suggested were placed there by the defendants under the belief that money would enhance the weapon’s effectiveness. The court marked the rifle as Exhibit A, with the accompanying naira notes labeled as Exhibits C1 to C5.
Additionally, the prosecution submitted a ballistic report confirming that the rifle was recently used and active, which was marked as Exhibit B.
Nine suspects are currently on trial for their alleged roles in the Yelwata attack, which resulted in approximately 150 fatalities. They were arraigned on February 2 on 57 terrorism-related charges brought by the Nigerian government. The defendants include Ardo Lawal Mohammed Dono, Ardo Muhammadu Saidu, Alhaji Haruna Abdullahi, Yakubu Adamu, Musa Mohammed, Abubakar Adamu, Shaibu Ibrahim, Sale Mohammed, and Bako Jibrin. All have pleaded not guilty.
During his testimony, Paul indicated that the violence was linked to disputes over the anti-grazing law enacted by the Benue State Government. He detailed how Haruna Abdullahi allegedly threatened retaliation after claiming that his cattle and family members were killed.
Paul testified that the suspects convened meetings in Nasarawa State to plan the attacks. He claimed that during these meetings, they agreed to mobilize resources for assaults on various communities, ultimately deciding to target Yelwata.
The witness further alleged that some defendants contributed financially to the attack. He stated that while Saidu had one AK-47, other weapons were purportedly in the possession of his children, who remain at large.
The prosecution also presented statements made by the defendants during the investigation, but defense lawyers objected to the admissibility of certain statements, claiming they were obtained under duress and without legal representation. Justice Abdulmalik ordered a trial-within-trial to assess the validity of these statements, with the hearing scheduled for March 13.
Defense attorneys previously alleged police intimidation of the defendants in custody, suggesting attempts to elicit further statements. In response, the prosecution denied these claims, asserting that their investigation has concluded. The judge remarked that she could not take action on the intimidation allegations without substantial evidence or input from prison officials.
