A Nigerian widow from Yelewata in Benue State has testified before the U.S. Congress on violence against Christians. She spoke through a priest who translated her Tiv testimony into English.
She described how attackers invaded her community and destroyed her home. She said her husband and five children were killed during the raid.
The attack reportedly claimed over 200 lives in the area.
U.S. lawmakers reacted strongly during the hearing, which was held by the House Subcommittee on Africa.
It followed President Donald Trump’s redesignation of Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern.
Rep Riley Moore said a Plateau pastor warned of an incoming attack but that the military dismissed the warning as a false alarm.
Noting that 13 people were killed the next day in the same community, he questioned the government’s ability to protect Christian communities.
Oge Onubogu from the Africa Centre for Strategic Studies, who addressed the hearing, said the violence is complex and affects many communities..
Mrs Amina Hassan the wife of the slain vice principal of Government Girls Comprehensive Senior Secondary School, Maga, in Ribah Local Government Area of Kebbi State, shared with the media how her daughter narrowly escaped being abducted during the attack that claimed her husband’s life and led to the kidnapping of 25 schoolgirls.
She recalled hearing movement behind their window around 3:30 a.m. She said armed men forced their way into their home soon after. Her husband was killed during the struggle inside the house.
According to Mrs Hassan, the attackers ordered her and her children to follow them, but she refused to go with them after her husband was killed.
When her daughter appeared, drawing the attackers’ attention, she recalled, they ordered the girl to lie down during the confrontation.
The girl requested to step outside briefly. Then the attackers opened the door and saw other girls nearby ans their attention shifted, allowing the girl to flee into the bush.
She returned home later in the morning.
Another grieving mother from Ekuru community in Kwara State spoke about her missing child.
Her child is among the worshippers abducted during an attack on Christ Apostolic Church, Oke Isegun on Tuesday, November 18.
‘’I have not see my child ooo!! Timileyin my child! I have bot seen my child since yesterday ooo!!!” she wailed.
Another member of the church said they were actually holding a thanksgiving service for the release of some of their members who were kidnapped about three weeks ago when they were attacked.
“The incident happened at about 6 in the evening. The armed bandits came to our church. They kidnapped almost 35 members of our church. Three were killed, and one is in the hospital. We were doing Thanksgiving service for the people that were kidnapped about three weeks ago, and all of them were rescued. That is why we were doing the evening service to thank God for the rescue of those people”
