Some suspects linked to the June killings in Yelwata, a community in Guma Local Government Area of Benue State, are set to be arraigned on Monday, February 2, before Justice Joyce Abdul-Malik of the Federal High Court, Abuja.
In a statement on Sunday, the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice reassured Nigerians that justice would be served, sending a stern warning to anyone acting against national security.
“The administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is committed to the protection of lives and properties of all as enshrined in the constitution,” said Kamarudeen Ogundele, Special Adviser to the AGF.
He added that the arraignment follows a “painstaking investigation and collaboration by government agencies.”
In June 2025, gunmen attacked the Yelwata community, killing scores and displacing hundreds. Following the attack, security operatives confirmed that some suspects had been arrested in connection with the killings.
President Tinubu, who visited the state shortly after the incident, urged security agencies to pursue the perpetrators relentlessly.
> “Police, I hope your men are on alert to listen to information. How come no arrest has been made? I expect there should be an arrest of those criminals,” he said during a stakeholders’ meeting at the Benue Government House, Makurdi.
He further directed security chiefs, including the DG NIA and DG SSS, to enhance intelligence gathering to prevent a recurrence of such attacks.
The attacks reignited calls from Governor Hyacinth Alia for the establishment of state police and an intervention fund for affected communities, emphasizing the importance of local policing to address ongoing security challenges in the food-producing state.
