Weeks after the Federal High Court in Abuja commenced the prosecution of suspected members of Fulani and Idoma militias linked to ethnic killings in Benue State, the same court on Monday admitted in evidence a report by the Department of State Services (DSS) alleging that certain Agatu leaders in the state stockpiled grenades and ammunition for planned retaliatory attacks against Fulani cattle herders.

On Tuesday, March 31, Ardo Lawal Mohammed Dono, Ardo Muhammadu Saidu, Alhaji Haruna Abdullahi and Yakubu Adamu were among nine suspected Fulani militia members arraigned on a 57-count charge bordering on terrorism and the alleged massacre of over 100 persons in Yelwata, Guma Local Government Area of the state.

On Monday, the court also admitted grenades, a cache of ammunition and an audio-visual recording of the interrogation of one of the suspects as exhibits.

The suspect, Silas Oloche, identified as an Agatu youth leader, is facing a six-count charge bordering on alleged unlawful possession of firearms and ammunition.

At the commencement of proceedings, a DSS operative, who testified as the prosecution’s first witness, told the court that Oloche was arrested on August 2, 2025, in Ogbasi, Agatu LGA, allegedly in possession of 18 hand grenades, 683 rounds of 7.62 x 39mm ammunition, 62 rounds of 7.62 x 51mm ammunition and 136 live rounds of shotgun ammunition.

The witness, attached to the DSS Security Investigation Department and identified only by the codename XX, said the defendant was later transferred from the Benue State Command to the Service’s National Headquarters in Abuja for further investigation.

According to the witness, Oloche was interviewed in the presence of officials of the Legal Aid Council and allegedly confessed to purchasing the ammunition from a man identified as “Chocho” for over N2 million.
The operative further told the court that the defendant volunteered a written statement and consented to the officer writing on his behalf because he could not write.

During the open-court playback of the video recording of the defendant’s extra-judicial statement, Oloche alleged years of violent attacks on Agatu communities by Fulani herders.

In the video, he identified himself as the youth leader of Agatu and said the crisis dated back to 2013, arising from repeated attacks on farmlands and communities allegedly carried out by Fulani cattle herders.

He recounted a series of meetings allegedly involving government officials, traditional rulers, security agencies and representatives of Fulani communities in Kogi, Benue and Nasarawa states aimed at resolving the conflict.

According to him, several agreements were reached for the herders to vacate occupied farmlands in Agatu communities, but the agreements were repeatedly breached while cattle continued to destroy crops.

The defendant stated in the video that frustration mounted within Agatu communities following what he described as repeated attacks and lack of government intervention.

He further told investigators that he led efforts to raise funds for the purchase of ammunition after allegedly receiving information that Fulani groups were preparing for another round of attacks.

Oloche admitted obtaining several rounds of ammunition and keeping them in his house, but said the group was yet to acquire guns before DSS operatives arrested them.

He also stated that Agatu communities planned retaliatory attacks against Fulani herders but were hindered by inadequate ammunition and firearms.

According to him, displaced villagers and grieving families contributed money for the purchase of arms after retrieving bodies from attacked communities.

At the conclusion of the video playback, the prosecution tendered the defendant’s extra-judicial statement in evidence.

However, defence counsel, Noah Imoni, objected to its admissibility, arguing that the statement was not voluntarily obtained.

In response, the prosecution urged the court to conduct a trial-within-trial to determine whether the statement was voluntarily made.

The trial judge subsequently ordered a trial-within-trial and reserved ruling on the bail variation application to a later date.

The matter was adjourned to July 8 for the commencement of the trial-within-trial and continuation of hearing.