Yelwata Killings Trial Halted As Defendant Collapses In Court
The terrorism trial of nine suspects charged in connection with the 2025 Yelwata massacre was abruptly suspended on Tuesday after one of the defendants collapsed inside the courtroom, forcing an adjournment.
Proceedings had barely commenced around 10 a.m. when Alhaji Haruna Abdullahi, the third defendant, suddenly slumped in court. Prison officials attempted to revive him and returned him to his seat, but he remained unresponsive throughout the session.
When the case was formally called, the presiding judge, Justice Joyce Abdulmalik of the Federal High Court, ruled that the defendant could not be treated as present before the court.
“You can’t say he is present,” Justice Abdulmalik said, observing that Abdullahi had “been like that for over an hour.”
Counsel to the third defendant, Ahmed Muhammad, appealed for an immediate adjournment on medical grounds. “The third defendant came in by himself, but unfortunately, he collapsed. We humbly request that he be taken to a medical facility for treatment,” he said.
A second defence counsel, Ibrahim Angulu, also urged the court to act on humanitarian grounds, stressing that the defendant’s condition required urgent attention.
The Director of Public Prosecutions, Rotimi Oyedepo, informed the court that prison authorities had confirmed Abdullahi was in stable condition before he was transported to court. Oyedepo subsequently applied for an adjournment to allow prison officials attend to the defendant. Justice Abdulmalik granted the application and adjourned the matter to March 30 for continuation of proceedings. The court also directed that hearing notices be served on absent defence counsel.
The nine defendants, Ardo Lawal Mohammed Dono, Ardo Muhammadu Saidu, Alhaji Haruna Abdullahi, Yakubu Adamu, Musa Mohammed, Abubakar Adamu, Shaibu Ibrahim, Sale Mohammed, and Bako Jibrin, are facing a 57-count charge bordering on terrorism.
They were arraigned on February 2 in connection with the attack on the Yelwata community in Benue State, which claimed approximately 150 lives. All nine defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges.
The Yelwata attack, which occurred in early 2025, was among the deadliest communal violence incidents recorded in Benue State in recent years. The Middle Belt region has experienced recurring cycles of violent conflict, largely between farming communities and herders, resulting in significant casualties and displacement over the past decade.