The Federal High Court in Abuja has continued the trial of a suspected ethnic militia member arrested by the Department of State Services (DSS) over alleged illegal possession of arms and ammunition linked to violence in Benue State.
The development comes weeks after the court began hearing cases involving suspected Fulani and Idoma militia members accused of involvement in ethnic killings across the state.
During proceedings on Monday, the court admitted into evidence a DSS report alleging that certain Agatu leaders in Benue State stockpiled grenades and ammunition in preparation for retaliatory attacks against Fulani cattle herders.
The court also admitted grenades, ammunition, and an audio-visual recording of the interrogation of one of the suspects, identified as Silas Oloche, who is facing a six-count charge bordering on unlawful possession of firearms and ammunition.
Testifying as the prosecution’s first witness, a DSS operative identified only by the codename “XX” told the court that Oloche was arrested on August 2, 2025, in Ogbasi, Agatu Local Government Area of Benue State.
According to the witness, Oloche was allegedly found 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 shotgun cartridges.
The operative stated that Oloche was initially detained at the DSS command in Benue before being transferred to the agency’s National Headquarters in Abuja for further investigation.
The witness further told the court that Oloche was interviewed in the presence of officials from the Legal Aid Council and allegedly confessed to purchasing the ammunition from a man identified as “Chocho” for more than N2 million.
According to the DSS operative, the defendant voluntarily made a written statement and consented to the officer writing on his behalf because he could not write.
During the open-court playback of the recorded interrogation, Oloche described longstanding violence involving Agatu communities and Fulani herders, claiming the conflict dates back to 2013.
In the video, he identified himself as an Agatu youth leader and alleged that repeated attacks on farmlands and communities by armed herders had triggered tensions in the area.
Oloche recounted several meetings involving government officials, traditional rulers, security agencies, and Fulani representatives from Kogi, Benue, and Nasarawa states aimed at resolving the crisis. He alleged that agreements reached for herders to vacate occupied farmlands were repeatedly breached, while crops in Agatu communities continued to be destroyed.
He further claimed that frustration grew among Agatu residents due to repeated attacks and what he described as inadequate government response.
According to the recorded statement, Oloche said he led efforts to raise funds for the purchase of ammunition after receiving information about plans for fresh attacks by suspected Fulani groups.
He admitted obtaining ammunition and storing it in his residence but said the group had not yet acquired firearms before DSS operatives arrested them.
Oloche also stated that some displaced residents and bereaved families allegedly contributed funds to support plans for self-defence and retaliation.
Following the playback of the video, the prosecution sought to tender Oloche’s extra-judicial statement as evidence.
However, defence counsel Noah Imoni objected, arguing that the statement was not voluntarily obtained.
In response, the prosecution asked the court to conduct a trial-within-trial to determine the voluntariness of the statement.
The presiding judge subsequently ordered a trial-within-trial and reserved ruling on an application seeking variation of the defendant’s bail conditions.
The matter was adjourned until July 8 for commencement of the trial-within-trial and continuation of proceedings.
Separately, on March 31, nine suspected Fulani militia members, including Ardo Lawal Mohammed Dono, Ardo Muhammadu Saidu, Alhaji Haruna Abdullahi, and Yakubu Adamu, were arraigned before the same court on a 57-count charge bordering on terrorism and alleged involvement in the killing of more than 100 people in Yelwata, Guma Local Government Area of Benue State.
