‘I Saw My Five Children Killed Before My Eyes’ — Yelwata Massacre Survivor Gives Emotional Testimony to U.S. Congress
Story: written by Daniel November 21,2025
A survivor of the horrific Yelwata massacre in Benue State, Msurshima Apeh, has shared a deeply emotional account before the United States Congress, describing how she watched the brutal killing of her five children during the coordinated attack.
Apeh addressed the House Subcommittee on Africa virtually on Thursday as lawmakers reviewed former U.S. President Donald Trump’s decision to return Nigeria to the Country of Particular Concern (CPC) list over rising religious persecution.
In her testimony, she narrated how heavily armed attackers stormed a camp that was already home to hundreds of displaced families seeking refuge.
She recounted:
“By 9 pm, after we had gone to sleep, the Fulani terrorists surrounded the camp where we were resting. We were locked inside the shelter in Yelwata as they cut people down with machetes and fired shots at us. When they were done torturing people, they poured fuel on the building and set many of them on fire.”
Speaking from Benue State, Apeh recalled the moment she escaped by climbing a tree while her children were killed below her.
“I lifted my eyes and saw a tree. I grabbed the branches and climbed up to hide. My five children, who were crying beneath me, were slaughtered right before me,” she said.
She explained that she eventually fled into the bush as the attackers continued their assault.
“I ran into the bush, and later, those who came to rescue survivors found me and brought me out. I witnessed everything that happened. Afterward, we were moved to a different displacement camp,” she added.
The Yelwata massacre, which occurred in June 2025 in Guma Local Government Area of Benue State, left between 100 and 200 people dead, according to early reports. More than 3,000 displaced persons were uprooted once again, many relocated to camps in Nasarawa State.
Several civil society groups disputed the government’s casualty figures, insisting that as many as 200 people could have been murdered in the single, coordinated raid. Security sources attributed the attack to suspected armed herdsmen.
The incident triggered nationwide outrage. President Bola Tinubu condemned the killings, later visiting survivors receiving medical treatment in Makurdi and directing security agencies to take urgent action.
Emergency agencies warned that displaced families were facing severe shortages of food, medical care, blankets, and basic necessities.
The Police eventually confirmed the arrest of 26 suspects believed to be linked to the massacre.
