A survivor of the June 2025 Yelwata attack in Benue State, Msurshima Apeh, on Thursday delivered an emotional testimony before the United States Congress, recounting how violence in the community claimed the lives of her five children.
Apeh, who appeared virtually before the House Subcommittee on Africa, spoke during a hearing examining President Donald Trump’s decision to return Nigeria to the Country of Particular Concern list over alleged religious persecution.
Narrating her experience, Apeh said the attack began late at night when armed assailants stormed the camp at Yelwata, cutting off escape routes and unleashing widespread violence on sleeping residents.
She told lawmakers that she survived by climbing a tree as chaos unfolded around her.
She explained that after hiding for several hours, she eventually fled into the bush before being rescued and relocated to another camp.
The Yelwata attack, carried out by suspected armed herdsmen, left numerous casualties, including five security personnel—two soldiers, a police officer and two others.
Several homes and market stalls were burnt, and multiple families were wiped out entirely.
President Bola Tinubu cancelled scheduled engagements to visit Benue State in the aftermath of the killings, meeting stakeholders and visiting survivors in hospital.
He pledged that the Federal Government would take decisive steps to address the worsening security situation.
Also reacting to the tragedy, the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, described the incident as a direct challenge to national security.
He announced the deployment of additional police personnel to the area and confirmed the arrest of 26 suspects linked to the attack.
The killings triggered widespread condemnation across the country, with political leaders, religious bodies, and civil society organisations demanding justice and urgent reforms to protect vulnerable communities from recurring assaults.