A survivor of the June 2025 Yelwata attack in Benue State, Msurshima Apeh, recounted her harrowing ordeal before the United States Congress on Thursday, describing how she watched the killing of her five children during the attack.
The hearing focused on President Donald Trump’s decision to reinstate Nigeria on the Country of Particular Concern list, citing alleged ongoing religious persecution.
Apeh testified before the House Subcommittee on Africa, detailing the attack.
“When we went to sleep that night around 9 pm, the Fulani terrorists attacked us where we were sleeping. We were locked inside the camp, Yelwata, and they were butchering them with cutlasses and shooting guns as well.
“When the torture had finished at some point in time, they poured petrol on the building and the majority of them were set ablaze,” she said, virtually from Benue State.
She said she saved herself by climbing a tree while witnessing the death of her children.
“In the course of this action, I saw a tree when I lifted my eyes. I raised my hands on the tree and climbed up where I was able to hide myself.
“My five children that I left below were crying, and in my presence, they were being slaughtered by the terrorists,” Apeh recounted.
She said she later fled into the bush and was rescued, before being relocated to a new camp.
“I ran out into the bush at some point, and those who came for rescue will now bring me out of that place at some point, and I was able to witness the whole drama. When the people came, we were now relocated to a new camp,” she added.
The Yelwata attack, which occurred on the night of June 2025, was carried out by suspected armed herdsmen.
Many people, including civilians and five security personnel—two soldiers, a police officer, and two others—were killed.
Homes and market stalls were set ablaze with petrol, and many internally displaced persons lost entire families, including one account of a family of 15 killed.
President Bola Tinubu rescheduled other engagements to visit Benue State, pledging to assess and address the crisis directly.
During his visit, he met with stakeholders to seek lasting solutions and visited victims in hospitals.
Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, described the attacks as threats to national sovereignty and vowed to deploy additional officers to protect lives and property.
He also confirmed the arrest of 26 suspects connected to the Yelwata killings.
The attacks sparked national outrage, with political leaders, religious organisations, and civil society groups demanding justice and stronger security measures to prevent future atrocities.