Msurshima Apeh, a survivor of the June 2025 Yelwata massacre in Benue State, gave a heartbreaking testimony before the United States Congress on Thursday, recounting how she watched terrorists kill her five children during the attack.

Apeh addressed the House Subcommittee on Africa during a hearing examining President Donald Trump’s decision to return Nigeria to the Country of Particular Concern list over alleged ongoing religious persecution.

Speaking virtually from Benue State, Apeh narrated the horrifying events of that night.

“At about 9 p.m., while we were asleep, Fulani terrorists attacked our camp in Yelwata. We were locked inside, and they began slaughtering people with cutlasses while also firing gunshots,” she said.

According to her, the attackers later poured petrol around the building and set it ablaze.

She explained that she managed to escape by climbing a tree, from which she watched her children being murdered.

“When I looked up, I saw a tree. I raised my hands, grabbed a branch, and climbed up to hide. My five children were crying below, and right before my eyes, they were butchered by the terrorists,” she recounted.

Apeh said she fled into the bush afterward and was eventually rescued and relocated to another camp.

“I ran into the bush, and those who came for rescue later found me. They took me out of the area and moved us to a new camp,” she added.

The Yelwata attack, carried out in June 2025 by suspected armed herdsmen, claimed many lives, including civilians and five security operatives—two soldiers, a police officer, and two others. Houses, shops, and shelters for internally displaced persons were burned, with several families wiped out entirely, including one with 15 members.

In response, President Bola Tinubu cut short his engagements to visit Benue State, where he met with stakeholders and visited survivors in hospitals. He pledged to take decisive action to address the crisis.

Inspector-General of Police Kayode Egbetokun described the massacre as a threat to national sovereignty and announced the arrest of 26 suspects linked to the attack. He also promised the deployment of more personnel to strengthen security in the area.

The tragic incident sparked widespread outrage, with political leaders, religious bodies, and civil society organisations calling for justice and urgent measures to prevent future attacks.