Proceedings in the trial of the nine suspects accused of involvement in the June 13, 2025, Yelwata, Benue State attack were stalled on Friday at the Federal High Court, Abuja, following the absence of legal representation for the 7th and 8th defendants.

At the commencement of proceedings before Justice Joyce Abdulmalik, counsel announced appearances for the prosecution and most of the defendants.

However, the court observed that the 7th and 8th defendants were without legal representation.

When questioned, the two defendants informed the court that they were being represented by counsel to the 1st defendant, Ibrahim Angulu, SAN.

The judge subsequently sought clarification from Angulu, who had earlier indicated his intention to withdraw from representing the two defendants.

Angulu told the court that he was surprised by their claim, stating that he had received a message purportedly relieving him of their brief.

Although the court acknowledged that the senior lawyer had formally applied to withdraw from the matter, Justice Abdulmalik held that the court retained the discretion to refuse such an application in the interest of justice.

When asked directly whether they had sent any message disengaging the lawyer, the 7th and 8th defendants denied doing so.

Justice Abdulmalik thereafter declined Angulu’s application to withdraw and directed that he continues to represent the two defendants to ensure that the trial proceeds without hindrance.

The court also ordered the Nigerian Correctional Service to grant the senior lawyer unhindered access to the defendants to facilitate proper legal consultation.

The matter was adjourned till March 4 for continuation of trial and hearing of other pending applications.

The nine defendants are standing trial over the deadly attack on Yelwata in Guma Local Government Area of the state, which a prosecution witness had earlier told the court was carried out by over 200 armed men and allegedly funded by disgruntled Fulani chiefs.

The defendants had pleaded not guilty to a 57-count amended charge bordering on terrorism.

Meanwhile, the Benue State Government on Friday confirmed that a team of federal medical pathologists visited the state for forensic examination of victims of the massacre, but said it was yet to receive the report of their findings.

The Technical Adviser to the Governor on Communication, Media and Publicity, Solomon Iorpev, disclosed this in an interview with one of our correspondents on Friday.

“It’s true the forensic team came to the state for further investigation on the Yelwata crisis, but they are yet to release the report of their findings to us,” he said.

Also, the Director General of Homeland Security in the state, Air Commodore Jacob Gbamwuan (retd.), confirmed the development, noting that the team, which came from Abuja alongside security operatives, had yet to submit its report.

“A team of pathologists visited the state and we took them to Yelwata for forensic examination. They came from Abuja alongside security operatives, but the report is yet to be released, so I cannot tell what it contains,” he said.

Sources in Yelwata told our correspondent that some bodies were exhumed from mass graves in the community during the visit.

A top government official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the team was led by a Benue-born professor, adding that the state would be formally briefed once the report is released.

Residents said the team arrived in the community on February 23 alongside security operatives from Abuja and visited several grave sites.

“The team exhumed corpses from different places within the community, but I cannot say specifically the total number exhumed,” a resident said.

The source added that the team was last seen in the community on Thursday.

The exhumation is believed to be part of efforts to gather forensic evidence that may be tendered in the ongoing trial at the Federal High Court, Abuja. (PUNCH)