Nigeria has filed 57 terrorism-related charges against nine men accused of planning and executing a June 2025 attack in Benue state that killed about 150 people.
Prosecutors told the Federal High Court in Abuja that the group held planning meetings, raised funds, procured weapons, and mobilised fighters across multiple states before striking Yelwata in Benue’s Guma district on 13 June.
Officials describe it as one of the deadliest rural assaults in years, with homes torched and heavy casualties reported.
The filing names Ardo Lawal Mohammed Dono as the ringleader, alleging he and his associates gathered in neighbouring Nasarawa state to raise cash, issue orders, and recruit fighters.
Several defendants are accused of supplying AK-47 rifles or offering locations for planning sessions.
The case unfolds as Nigeria struggles to contain violence in the Middle Belt, where disputes over land, religion, and ethnicity persist.
The security backdrop has grown more complex since U.S. President Donald Trump criticised Abuja for failing to protect Christians, a charge that increased scrutiny on Nigeria’s response mechanisms.
On 25 December, U.S. forces struck what they called terrorist targets. Nigerian authorities say they are working with Washington to strengthen intelligence sharing and restore stability across affected regions.
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U.S. President Donald Trump said on Friday that Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, second in command of ISIS globally, was killed in an operation conducted by U.S. and Nigerian forces.
Start your day informed with the AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top stories for the 16th of May, covering the latest developments you need to know.
The United States is set to deploy an additional 200 troops to Nigeria as part of expanded counterterrorism cooperation, according to a senior Nigerian military source.
Security services say they have now rescued all 166 worshippers who were kidnapped by gunmen during attacks on two churches in northern Nigeria last month, a Christian group said on Thursday (5 February).
Bulgaria has won the Eurovision Song Contest for the first time, taking victory in a final overshadowed by a boycott over Israel’s participation and the war in Gaza.
At least eight people were injured after a driver rammed a car into pedestrians in the northern Italian city of Modena, authorities said on Saturday. Four of the victims were reported to be in serious condition.
U.S. President Donald Trump said Washington could destroy Iran’s infrastructure “in two days,” while Tehran warned the U.S. would face growing economic costs from the conflict. The remarks came as Hezbollah reported new attacks on Israeli forces despite an extended Lebanon ceasefire.
At least eight people have died and 32 others were injured after a freight train collided with a public bus at a railway crossing in Bangkok on Saturday (16 May), triggering a fire that quickly spread through the vehicle.
U.S. President Donald Trump says China's Xi Jinping agreed Iran must reopen the Strait of Hormuz, as Tehran prepares a new shipping mechanism. Tensions over the U.S. blockade and stalled nuclear talks continue to disrupt global oil supplies.
The World Urban Forum (WUF13) continues in Baku, Azerbaijan on 18 May, addressing the global housing crisis. The day’s agenda includes the official opening press conference, the WUF13 Urban Expo opening and a ministerial dialogue on the Nairobi Declaration to advance Africa's urban agenda.
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Taiwan’s President Lai Ching-te has reaffirmed the island’s commitment to sovereignty and regional stability following the recent meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping.
At least four people have been killed in a major Ukrainian drone attack on Russian territory, including the Moscow region, which authorities say faced its largest aerial assault in more than a year.
China has launched the world’s first experiment to study how artificial human embryos develop in space, marking a major step in understanding whether humans could one day reproduce beyond Earth.
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