“They Cut My Head and Set Me on Fire” — Woman Recounts Horror of Yelewata Massacre (Video)
Angela Tarbo will never forget the night terror swept through Yelewata, a once-quiet town in Benue State. She is lucky to be alive, but her body—and her heart—carry the scars of unimaginable cruelty.
In a harrowing interview with The Sun News, Angela, one of the survivors of the Fulani herdsmen attack that left scores dead and homes destroyed, recounted the moment death came knocking on her door.
“They started shooting and slaughtering people. When they reached me, they cut my head and my hand with a cutlass,” she whispered, her voice faint and trembling.
“Then… they poured petrol on the shop and set it on fire. I escaped with flames burning my body.”
“We Thought It Was Thunder, But It Was Gunfire”
Angela said the evening began like any other. Rain pattered gently on the rooftops, and most families were already asleep. Then came what sounded like thunder—but it was the sound of gunshots. By the time they realized the truth, it was already too late.
Shops were broken into. Residents were either gunned down or slaughtered with machetes. And amid the chaos, Angela found herself trapped—injured, burning, and alone.
“I don’t know how I survived. It was God,” she said, tears brimming in her eyes.
Angela is now recovering from her burns and deep cuts, but she knows many of her neighbors weren’t as fortunate. Dozens were confirmed dead. Others are still missing. And survivors—especially women and children—have been left homeless, traumatized, and in urgent need of support.
The Yelewata massacre has reignited national calls for security reform and protection of rural communities. For now, Angela and others continue to live with the pain, praying that help—and peace—will come soon.
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