Msurshima Apeh, a survivor of the June 2025 Yelwata attack in Benue State, shared her tragic experience before the United States Congress on Thursday, revealing how she witnessed the brutal killing of her five children during the assault.
The hearing examined President Donald Trump’s decision to place Nigeria back on the Country of Particular Concern list, citing alleged ongoing religious persecution. Apeh recounted the attack in detail before the House Subcommittee on Africa.
“When we went to sleep that night around 9 pm, Fulani terrorists stormed the camp where we were sleeping,” she said. “They were using cutlasses and firearms, killing indiscriminately. At some point, they set fire to the building with petrol, and many perished in the flames.”
Apeh said she narrowly survived by climbing a tree. “I saw a tree, climbed up, and managed to hide. Eventually, rescuers brought me out, and we were relocated to a new camp,” she explained.
The Yelwata attack resulted in the deaths of numerous civilians and five security personnel, including two soldiers and a police officer. Homes, market stalls, and other properties were burned, leaving many internally displaced persons grieving the loss of entire families, including one family of 15.
President Bola Tinubu postponed other engagements to visit Benue State, meeting stakeholders and victims in hospitals while pledging to address the crisis. Inspector-General of Police Kayode Egbetokun described the attacks as threats to national sovereignty and confirmed that 26 suspects had been arrested in connection with the killings.
The incident has provoked widespread national outrage, with political leaders, religious organizations, and civil society groups calling for justice and enhanced security measures to prevent similar tragedies in the future.
