Death toll in Taraba village raid climbs to 40
Police initially reported 10 fatalities, but residents and Amnesty International say at least 40 people died when gunmen on motorcycles struck Binnari.
By Luana Sato ·
Police in Nigeria reported 10 deaths following a raid on Binnari village in Taraba State, but new accounts place the death toll as high as 40. The discrepancy emerged after survivors and human rights groups provided updated counts on Saturday. Gunmen arrived on motorcycles just after Friday prayers, opening fire on the community and looting local shops.
The initial police statement on Saturday confirmed the recovery of 10 bodies by Friday evening. Officers noted that the attackers, a large group riding motorcycles, also stole food from local stores. However, Amnesty International issued a statement the same day asserting that 40 people were killed. The organization indicated that police confirmed the first 10 deaths, but additional bodies were discovered later on Saturday.
Local residents corroborated the higher casualty figures. Sa'idu Nuhu, a resident of Binnari, told the AFP news agency that more than 20 bodies were counted after the attackers departed, with several people still missing. Isiyaku Musa, another resident, estimated the death toll at no fewer than 20. These figures align with Amnesty International's report of 40 fatalities.
Community leader Malam Abubakar Saifullahi described the scale of the assault. He stated that the assailants arrived on approximately 50 motorcycles, with two men aboard each vehicle. Saifullahi reported that the bandits looted cash, foodstuffs, and other provisions from shops. They also seized motorcycles left behind by villagers who fled the attack.
Amnesty International criticized the Nigerian government for leaving rural communities vulnerable. The group stated that authorities "continue to leave rural communities in some parts of the north at the mercy of gunmen that are repeatedly committing atrocities with impunity." Banditry has grown in northwest and central Nigeria, where gangs operate in remote areas with limited state presence.
These groups often raid villages, kidnap residents for ransom, and collect informal taxes from farmers and miners. Taraba State, located in the central-eastern region, faces similar threats from these non-ideological armed gangs. Nigeria continues to manage security challenges across multiple fronts, including the long-running conflict in the northeast.
In a separate incident on Saturday, the Nigerian military announced it killed 15 terrorists in an airstrike in Borno State. This development occurred alongside the reports from Taraba, illustrating the ongoing pressure on national forces to address violence in both the northeast and central regions of the country.
