Nigeria Finally Puts Fulani Terrorists on Trial for Massacre of 200+ Christians as U.S. Weighs Sanctions

Nine Fulani Herdsmen Face Trial for Massacre of Over 200 Christians in Yelwata, Nigeria

In a rare act of prosecution in Nigeria, nine Fulani herdsmen are standing trial for their roles in the devastating massacre that claimed the lives of more than 200 Christians in Yelwata, Benue state, in June 2025.

The defendants, led by Ardo Lawal Mohammed Dono, head of the Nasarawa chapter of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association, pleaded not guilty to 57 terrorism related charges filed in February 2026 at the Federal High Court in Abuja.

Prosecutors allege the attack was financed and organized by Fulani tribal chiefs through pooled funds and coordinated meetings in Nasarawa state. One defendant, Haruna Abdullahi, allegedly confessed to attending planning meetings where funds were collected and gunmen were recruited from multiple states.

The assault began late on June 13, 2025, and continued into the early hours of June 14 when armed assailants targeted a Catholic mission sheltering over 400 internally displaced persons, then struck Yelwata Main Market.

They set buildings on fire and mutilated and burned the bodies of victims.

Witnesses reported that attackers chanted "Allahu Akbar" during the coordinated assault on the predominantly Christian community. In late February, police forensic experts exhumed approximately 105 bodies from mass graves at the site.

Between October 2024 and September 2025, Nigeria accounted for 3,490 of 4,849 Christian deaths worldwide, representing 72 percent of all global religious killings.

The U.S. administration is now considering a bilateral agreement with Nigeria to combat religious persecution. A congressional report recommends targeted sanctions, visa restrictions, and designating Fulani militias as a Foreign Terrorist Organization.

Fulani Herdsmen Terrorism Trial Stalls as Nigeria Faces International Pressure Over Christian Persecution

Despite the gravity of the charges, the trial has been plagued by delays. Justice Joyce Abdulmalik adjourned proceedings to March 9, warning that the court will not tolerate unnecessary delays in a matter of such significant public interest.

The case marks one of the few times Nigeria has brought terrorism charges against suspected Fulani militants responsible for attacks on Christian communities in the Middle Belt region.

The Crusader's Opinion

Let the numbers sink in: 3,490 Christians slaughtered in Nigeria in a single year. That is 72 percent of every Christian killed for their faith on planet Earth. And the world says nothing. Imagine for one moment if Christians were storming Muslim villages, chanting the name of Christ while burning families alive. Every news channel on Earth would run it for months. The United Nations would convene emergency sessions. But when it is Christians being butchered? Silence. These nine men on trial represent the tip of an iceberg of evil that has been left unchecked for decades. Nigeria must be held accountable, and the West must stop funding a government that allows the systematic extermination of its Christian population.

Take Action

• Donate to The Shepherd's Shield to support persecuted Christians in Nigeria and across the world.
• Support Open Doors USA, which ranks Nigeria as one of the most dangerous countries for Christians and provides direct aid to survivors.
• Give to Voice of the Martyrs to help families displaced by Fulani herdsmen violence in the Middle Belt.
• Contact your U.S. representatives and senators to demand Fulani militias be designated a Foreign Terrorist Organization. Find your representative at house.gov.
• Pray for the victims' families in Yelwata and for justice to be served in this landmark trial. Share this story on social media to break the silence.