Nigeria’s Department of State Services (DSS) has formally initiated legal proceedings against nine individuals in connection with a series of deadly attacks in Benue and Plateau states.
The charges, filed at the Federal High Court in Abuja, represent a significant step in the government’s response to inter-communal violence that resulted in numerous casualties and widespread displacement.
The defendants face a range of allegations under the Terrorism Prevention and Prohibition Act of 2022 and the Firearms Act of 2024. The charges stem from attacks in June and July 2025 that targeted communities in the Yelwata area of Benue State and parts of Plateau State.
According to the charge sheets, two defendants from Nasarawa State, Haruna Adamu and Muhammad Abdullahi, are accused of conspiring with seven others to carry out attacks on villages including Abinsi and Yelwata. The DSS alleges their actions amounted to conduct in preparation for acts of terrorism.
In a separate case, two residents of Guma Local Government Area in Benue State, Terkende Ashuwa and Amos Alede, face charges related to alleged reprisal attacks. They are accused of participating in meetings that led to terrorist acts, resulting in the destruction of property and the loss of livestock in Ukpam village.
The charges detail allegations that the two men received locally made guns and AK-47 rifles for use in these attacks. Their case highlights the cyclical nature of the violence that has affected the region.
In another development, a 32-year-old woman from Katsina State, Halima Haliru Umar, faces four counts related to terrorism activities. She is accused of transporting 302 rounds of AK-47 ammunition to bandits in July 2025.
Additionally, she is charged with concealing information about a suspected gun runner, bandit, and kidnapper known as Alhaji Sani. The DSS stated this information could have prevented acts of terrorism.
The cases also include firearms-related charges against several other defendants. A 75-year-old man, Nanbol Tali, and another individual, Timnan Manjo, are accused of buying and selling locally fabricated AK-47 rifles without a licence.
They allegedly engaged in the purchase of three long-range revolvers for resale to bandits. The charges indicate transactions amounting to three million naira for the AK-47 rifles.
Another defendant, Danjuma Antu from Plateau State, faces five counts of unlawful possession of firearms, including locally fabricated pistols capable of discharging 9mm ammunition.
In a separate case, Silas Iduh Oloche from Benue State faces six counts related to the unlawful possession of 18 grenades and 683 live rounds of 7.62mm ammunition. He was arrested on 2 August 2025, according to the charges.
These legal actions follow President Bola Tinubu’s directive to security agencies to identify and bring to justice those responsible for the violence that claimed dozens of lives and displaced hundreds of people in both states.
The cases represent a comprehensive approach to addressing different aspects of the security challenges in the region, from initial attacks to reprisal violence and the weapons trafficking that enables both.
The Federal Government is prosecuting the cases through the Director of Public Prosecution of the Federation, Muhammad Abubakar. No trial date has been set for any of the defendants as the judicial process begins its course.
Discussion about this post