A harrowing testimony was delivered before the United States House Subcommittee on Africa on Thursday by Msurshima Apeh, a survivor of the devastating Yelwata attack in Benue State, Nigeria. Ms. Apeh recounted in painful detail how she witnessed the brutal murder of her five children during the assault on a camp housing displaced families.
The hearing was convened to review President Donald Trump’s recent decision to return Nigeria to the Country of Particular Concern (CPC) list, highlighting ongoing security and human rights challenges in the region.
Ms. Apeh described the night of the attack in June 2025, when hundreds of displaced persons were sleeping in the Yelwata camp in Guma Local Government Area. “Around 9 pm, Fulani militants stormed the camp where we were locked in. They used cutlasses and firearms to butcher many of us,” she said, addressing lawmakers virtually from Benue State.
She detailed the horrifying scene as the attackers set buildings ablaze after the massacre. “After the killing, they poured petrol on the buildings and set them on fire,” Ms. Apeh stated, her voice conveying the trauma she endured.
In a desperate bid for survival, Ms. Apeh climbed a nearby tree, watching helplessly as her children were slaughtered below. “I raised my hands and climbed the tree to hide. My five children cried for me, but they were killed in my presence,” she recounted.
Eventually, she fled into the surrounding bush and was later rescued by aid workers. “I was relocated to a new camp after the rescue,” she added.
The Yelwata attack resulted in the deaths of an estimated 100 to 200 people, with over 3,000 others displaced. Many survivors have since been relocated to camps in neighbouring Nasarawa State.
Ms. Apeh’s testimony underscores the ongoing plight of vulnerable communities in Nigeria and the urgent need for international attention and action.
