…Falana Comes Hard on Govt. Over Killings
No fewer than 15 more suspects have been arrested by operatives of the Intelligence Response Team (IRT) over the recent killings in Yelewata village, Guma Local Government Area of Benue State.
According to a report by security analyst and counter-insurgency expert Zagazola Makama, the number of suspects arrested in connection with the deadly attack has risen to 23.
Makama said the arrests were made on Saturday, as part of ongoing security operations ordered by President Bola Tinubu to apprehend those responsible for the massacre.
Well over 100 persons lost their lives when killers suspected to be armed herders invaded Yelewata in one of the deadliest attacks recorded in the state in recent years.
“The latest suspects arrested include Abdulsalam Mohammed, Dahiru Mohammed, Bako Jibril, Abubakar Isa, Abubakar Adamu, Umar Lawali, Bello Tukur, Musa Mohammed, Muazu Idris, Usman Suleman, Dauda Umar, Safiyanu Sani, Isa Yusufa, Babangida Usman, and Yakubu Mamman. They are currently undergoing preliminary interrogation,” Makama said.
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Security forces comprising the military, the army, and other agencies have continued coordinated operations across Yelewata and neighbouring communities to prevent further attacks and ensure that the perpetrators face justice.
According to Makama, a senior security official who confirmed the arrests said investigations are ongoing, and more suspects may be apprehended in the coming days.
However, human rights lawyer Femi Falana, SAN, has lampooned the Federal and Benue State Governments for delays in prosecuting arrested suspects in connection with killings across the state.
This was contained in a statement issued on the platform of the Alliance on Surviving COVID-19 and Beyond (ASCAB), which he chairs.
According to Falana, even though many suspects have been arrested over the years for crimes ranging from illegal possession of firearms to mass killings and kidnapping, most of them are never charged or brought to justice.
His reaction comes in the wake of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s recent visit to Benue, during which he ordered the Nigeria Police Force to arrest and prosecute all those involved in the latest wave of violence in the state.
The legal luminary, however, described the president’s directive as potentially symbolic, noting that previous arrests had not led to convictions or justice for victims.
The senior lawyer also criticized the Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, for accusing residents of Yelewata community of providing shelter for the killers.
He said the CDS’s statement was an attempt to shift blame onto victims instead of addressing the systemic failures of security and governance.
“On December 30, 2024, the Benue State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Hassan Yabanet, announced the arrest of 273 suspects involved in capital crimes, along with the recovery of 20 firearms and 51 rounds of ammunition.
“On January 17, 2024, Police spokesperson Olumuyiwa Adejobi revealed that an illegal firearms factory had been uncovered in Benue. Two suspects, Friday Aduduakambe and Iorwashima Iornyume, were arrested, and a cache of weapons, including nine locally made pistols and one unfinished AK-47, was seized.
“On April 17, 2025, Governor Hyacinth Alia disclosed that three herdsmen were arrested over the killing of 11 people in the Otobi community, Otukpo Local Government Area.
“On June 19, 2025, Community Volunteer Guards apprehended three suspected kidnappers at the Otukpo motor park with ransom money collected from their victims,” Falana highlighted.
The human rights lawyer also said that between January and June 2025 alone, dozens of violent crime suspects have been arrested, including 43 suspected killers in the last 10 days. He added that despite these arrests, no significant prosecutions have been reported.
Read: FG Commences Needs Assessment for Yelewata Victims, Says Minister
“It is undoubtedly clear that the authorities have continued to treat suspected killers in Benue State like sacred cows.
“The Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice of Benue State, Mr. Fidelis Mnyim, must take immediate steps to ensure that justice is served,” he maintained.
