40 killed in Taraba State raid, Amnesty International says

Amnesty International stated on Saturday that 40 people were killed in an attack on Binnari village in Taraba State. The organization noted that police had initially confirmed 10 deaths, but additional bodies were recovered later that day.

Police officials reported that they recovered 10 bodies by Friday evening following the assault. They described the attackers as a large group of gunmen riding motorcycles. Officers said the raiders also looted food from local shops during the incident.

Survivors and community leaders provided a different account of the scale of the violence. Sa'idu Nuhu, a Binnari resident, told the AFP news agency that more than 20 bodies were counted after the attackers departed. He said some residents remained unaccounted for. Another resident, Isiyaku Musa, placed the death toll at no fewer than 20 people.

Malam Abubakar Saifullahi, a community leader, described the arrival of the assailants. He said approximately 50 motorcycles entered the village, carrying two men each. The group opened fire shortly after Friday prayers. Saifullahi said the gunmen took cash, foodstuffs, and provisions from shops. They also seized motorcycles left behind by people fleeing the scene.

Amnesty International criticized Nigerian authorities for their response to rural violence. The group said officials leave communities in parts of the north at the mercy of gunmen who commit atrocities with impunity.

Banditry has increased in northwest and central Nigeria, where gangs operate in remote areas with limited state presence. These groups raid villages, kidnap individuals for ransom, and collect taxes from farmers and miners. Taraba State faces similar threats from these non-ideological armed groups.

The attack occurred as the Nigerian military conducted operations in the northeast. On Saturday, military forces announced they killed 15 terrorists in an airstrike in Borno State. This development is separate from the violence in Taraba.