The trial of nine men accused of orchestrating the June 13, 2025 attack on Yelwata Community in Guma Local Government Area, Benue State, was abruptly halted on Tuesday, March 24, 2026, after one of the defendants collapsed in court.
Justice Joyce Abdulmalik of the Federal High Court in Abuja adjourned the proceedings after the third defendant, Alhaji Haruna Abdullahi, slumped from his seat shortly after the session began at 10 a.m.
Court officials attended to him, but he remained incapacitated, preventing the trial from continuing.
The accused, arraigned on February 2, 2026, are facing a 57-count terrorism-related indictment filed by the Federal Government.
They pleaded not guilty to charges connected to the attack, which reportedly claimed around 150 lives and destroyed numerous homes.
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The prosecution had been preparing to conduct a trial-within-trial to determine the admissibility of confessional statements when the hearing was interrupted.
Defence lawyers immediately requested urgent medical attention for Abdullahi, a motion the court granted.
Justice Abdulmalik emphasised that all defendants must be medically fit to participate in proceedings.
She directed that the case resume only after the collapsed defendant receives medical clearance. The next hearing is scheduled for March 30 and 31, 2026.
The Federal Government is prosecuting the case under the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022, charging the accused with financing, procuring arms, and facilitating the attack.
Legal observers note that the admissibility of confessional statements will be pivotal in the trial’s outcome, which is widely regarded as a key test of Nigeria’s anti-terrorism framework.