The Federal High Court in Abuja on Monday admitted a compact disc containing recorded statements of defendants standing trial over alleged killings in Benue State.
Prosecution counsel Mariam Okorie informed the court that the defendants had been served with the material. The defence did not oppose the application, and the trial judge admitted the disc as Exhibit TWT1. The court played the video in open session.
The recordings, according to prosecution witness Paul Moses, showed the defendants at the point of arrest, during their transfer to the Intelligence Response Team, and while giving statements in the presence of their lawyers and family members.
One clip featured the third defendant, Haruna Abdullahi, confirming personal details, including having four wives and 15 children.
He said he lost about 100 cows and two children and alleged similar losses for other Fulani herders.
Abdullahi stated he attended a meeting convened by an Ardo, contributing N300,000, and admitted previously owning an AK-47 rifle, which he sold.
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Abdullahi also claimed that hundreds of cattle and rams were killed, blaming Tiv youths, and said the situation forced several herders to flee, prompting multiple community meetings.
He added that he was directed to contribute N300,000 along with others but was unsure if the funds were used to finance attacks.
During the proceedings, the defence raised concerns over the accuracy of the court interpreter for the Hausa-language recordings.
Justice Joyce Abdulmalik discharged the interpreter and ordered the prosecution to provide a new one before the next hearing.
The trial had been disrupted previously after Abdullahi slumped in court. He was assisted back to his seat but remained unresponsive.
The proceedings were also delayed after the prosecution revealed that the device containing the video recordings had been corrupted.