\n<\/p>\n
By Camillus Eboh<\/p>\n
ABUJA, Feb 2 (Reuters) – Nigerian prosecutors filed 57 terrorism-related charges on Monday against nine men \u200baccused of carrying out a deadly attack on \u200cYelwata community in Nigeria’s central Benue state in June 2025 that killed \u200cabout 150 people.<\/p>\n
Benue sits in Nigeria’s volatile Middle Belt, the fault line between the Muslim north and Christian south. Years of violence over land, religion, and ethnicity have proved hard \u2060for the authorities \u200cto rein in.<\/p>\n
The charges, filed at the Federal High Court in Abuja, say the defendants \u200dheld planning meetings, raised funds, procured weapons, and mobilised fighters across several states ahead of the June 13 attack, one of the \u200bdeadliest rural assaults in years.<\/p>\n
The filing says ringleader Ardo \u200cLawal Mohammed Dono and others met in neighbouring Nasarawa state to raise cash, issue orders and recruit fighters. Several defendants are accused of supplying AK-47s, aiding the gunmen or providing safe sites for planning.<\/p>\n
Prosecutors say the raid torched homes \u2060and caused heavy casualties in \u200bYelwata in Benue’s Guma district.<\/p>\n
Plagued by \u200bIslamist attacks and mass kidnappings, Nigeria is under pressure to restore security since U.S. President Donald \u200dTrump accused it \u2060last year of failing to protect Christians. U.S. forces struck what they described as terrorist targets on \u2060December 25. The Nigerian authorities say they are cooperating with Washington to \u200cimprove security.<\/p>\n
(Reporting by Camillus Eboh; Writing by Elisha \u200cBala-Gbogbo, Editing by William Maclean)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n