The Federal High Court in Abuja on Monday admitted a Department of State Services report, grenades, ammunition, and a video recording of a suspect’s interrogation in the trial of alleged militia members linked to killings in Benue State.
The evidence relates to the case of Silas Oloche, identified as an Agatu youth leader facing six counts of unlawful possession of firearms and ammunition.
A DSS operative testified that Oloche was arrested on Aug. 2, 2025, in Ogbasi, Agatu LGA, with 18 hand grenades, 683 rounds of 7.62x39mm ammunition, 62 rounds of 7.62x51mm ammunition, and 136 live shotgun rounds. The operative said Oloche confessed in a recorded statement to buying the ammunition for over N2 million from a man identified as “Chocho”.
In the video played in court, Oloche said he acted as youth leader after years of attacks on Agatu communities by Fulani herders. He claimed agreements for herders to vacate farmlands were repeatedly breached, leading frustrated villagers to raise funds for arms after receiving information of a planned attack. He said they were on the verge of acquiring guns before the DSS arrest.
The prosecution also tendered Oloche’s written extra-judicial statement, but defense counsel Noah Imoni objected, arguing it was not voluntary. The judge ordered a trial-within-trial to determine voluntariness and reserved ruling on a bail variation application.
The case is one of two linked to the Benue violence. On March 31, nine suspected Fulani militia members including Ardo Lawal Mohammed Dono and Ardo Muhammadu Saidu were arraigned on 57 counts over the alleged massacre of more than 100 people in Yelwata, Guma LGA.
The court adjourned to July 8 for the trial-within-trial and continuation of the main trial.
