On February 2, 2026, for the first time, nine suspects involved in the horrific Yelewata massacre appeared in court
This moment brought cautious relief and a spark of hope to the survivors, who have long awaited some sign of justice.
It all happened on the night of June 13-14, 2025, in the community of Yelewata, in the Guma Local Government, Benue State, in central Nigeria.
Armed men, identified as members of the Fulani Ethnic Militia, stormed the area around 11:30 p.m.
and attacked until about 2 a.m.
They set houses on fire, shot residents, and caused a carnage that left at least 270 Christians dead-mostly women, children, and people who had already been displaced from other areas because of previous violence.
More than 400 homes, churches, and agricultural structures were destroyed.
The nine men-Ardo Lawal Mohammed Dono, Ardo Muhammadu Saidu, Alhaji Haruna Abdullahi, Yakubu Adamu, Alhaji Musa Mohammed, Abubakar Adamu, Shaibu Ibrahim, Sale Mohammed, and Bako Jibrin-were indicted in the Federal Court of Abuja.
They were held in Kuje prison while the trial continues.
Survivors see this appearance as a rare step amidst years of recurring attacks in the Middle Belt region, where impunity has been the rule.
Many residents described the moment as something that finally made their voices heard, even with much distrust in the Nigerian judicial system.
A rice farmer named Terhemba Aondohemba, who lost six relatives in the attack, said he felt, for the first time, that the suffering of the people had reached somewhere.
He said that after burying so many people without justice, seeing the suspects in court gave the feeling that, at least, the world was paying attention now, even though the country had failed them for so long.
Another survivor, Fidelis Adidi, who lost his wife and four children burned alive inside their home, spoke of the pain he still carries.
His two surviving children wake up screaming at night.
For him, justice has taken too long, and he fears the case will end like so many others, with arrests that don’t lead to convictions.
“Justice delayed is justice denied,” he stated, but he still prays that this time it will be different.
Community leaders and analysts also commented.
Achin Mathias, a young community leader, highlighted that people have lost faith in the government because they know where these militias operate, but rarely is anyone taken seriously to justice.
He warned that if this process fails, communities may feel completely abandoned, which would be dangerous for the entire country.
Franc Utoo, a security analyst who is also a survivor and lost 38 family members in the massacre, considered the court appearance symbolically important, but insufficient on its own.
He emphasized that true justice requires political will, witness protection, and full transparency.
Furthermore, he argued that the government needs to dismantle the networks that finance, arm, and protect these militias; otherwise, the arrests will remain mere gestures without real effect.
Benue, known as the “nation’s breadbasket” for producing essential foods like yams, rice, and cassava, is a predominantly Christian region that has suffered constant attacks since 2013. According to data from organizations that monitor religious freedom, militias like this have caused more than 55,000 deaths in the Middle Belt in recent years.
For now, the survivors are not celebrating.
They are watching closely.
For them, this process is not just a trial: it is a test to see if their lives truly matter to the Nigerian state.
Hope exists, but it comes with great caution and the certainty that only real convictions and lasting changes in security can bring true justice.
Published in 02/08/2026 05h29
Text adapted by AI (Grok) and translated via Google API in the English version. Images from public image libraries or credits in the caption.
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