Benue mother tells U.S. Congress: ‘I watched terrorists kill my five children during Yelwata attack

A survivor of the June 2025 Yelwata attack in Benue State, Msurshima Apeh, delivered an emotional testimony before the United States Congress on Thursday, recounting how she lost her five children during the assault.

Apeh appeared virtually before the House Subcommittee on Africa as part of a hearing on President Donald Trump’s decision to return Nigeria to the Country of Particular Concern (CPC) list over alleged religious persecution.

Narrating the incident, she said the attackers struck at night while families were asleep in the internally displaced persons’ camp.

“While we were sleeping, armed Fulani attackers surrounded the camp. We were locked inside, and they began attacking the occupants,” she said.

Apeh explained that she escaped by climbing a tree, from where she witnessed the tragedy unfolding below.

“In the midst of the chaos, I saw a tree and climbed it to hide. My five children were still below, crying. I saw everything that happened from where I was,” she told the panel.

She said she eventually fled into the bush and was later rescued before being relocated to another camp.

The Yelwata attack left widespread devastation. Many civilians were killed, along with five security personnel – two soldiers, a police officer, and two others. Homes and market stalls were burned, and several families were wiped out entirely, including one with 15 members.

President Bola Tinubu cancelled other engagements to visit Benue State days later, promising to take direct action to address the insecurity. He met with stakeholders, assessed the damage, and visited survivors in hospitals.

Inspector-General of Police Kayode Egbetokun described the killings as threats to national security and confirmed the arrest of 26 suspects linked to the incident. He also announced plans to deploy more officers to the affected communities.

The attack triggered national outrage, with political leaders, religious groups, and civil society organisations calling for justice, accountability, and stronger measures to prevent further violence.