Nigeria Charges Nine Men in Deadly Benue Attack

ABUJA, Nigeria—Nigerian prosecutors have charged nine men with terrorism offenses in connection with a June 13, 2025, attack on the Yelwata community in Benue state's Guma district that killed approximately 150 people and injured many others.

The assault, one of the deadliest rural incidents in recent years, involved gunmen armed with AK-47 rifles who raided homes, set them ablaze and targeted civilians, including those seeking shelter. Authorities described the attackers as burning some victims alive amid the chaos. The violence struck the heart of Nigeria's central Middle Belt region, an area long strained by disputes over land, water and resources between nomadic herders and sedentary farmers.

On Monday, the Federal High Court in Abuja arraigned the suspects on 57 counts under the Terrorism Prevention Act of 2022, including conspiracy, funding and executing the attack. If convicted, the men face possible death or life imprisonment. All nine pleaded not guilty during the hearing.

Prosecutors alleged that the group, led by Ardo Lawal Mohammed Dono, began planning the operation months earlier. Between May and June 2025, the suspects reportedly held meetings in neighboring...