Amnesty International counts 40 dead in Taraba village raid

Forty people died when armed men raided Binnari village in Taraba State on Friday, according to a statement issued by Amnesty International on Saturday. The human rights group said the toll rose after police initially confirmed only 10 deaths on Friday evening. Officers reported that 10 bodies had been recovered by that time, but additional victims were found on Saturday.

Survivors told the AFP news agency that at least 20 people lost their lives. Sa'idu Nuhu, a resident of Binnari, said the community counted more than 20 bodies after the attackers left. He noted that some people remained missing at the time of his account. Isiyaku Musa, another resident, gave a similar estimate, stating that no fewer than 20 people were killed.

The assault began just after Friday prayers. Community leader Malam Abubakar Saifullahi described the arrival of approximately 50 motorcycles, each carrying two armed men. The raiders swept through the village, looting cash, foodstuffs, and other provisions from local shops. They also seized motorcycles that residents had abandoned while fleeing the gunfire.

Police said the attackers looted food during the raid. The incident marks the latest in a series of violent attacks linked to banditry in eastern Nigeria. These groups operate in rural areas where state presence is limited. They often target communities for ransom kidnappings and levy informal taxes on farmers and miners.

Amnesty International criticized Nigerian authorities for leaving rural communities in the north vulnerable to repeated attacks. The group stated that gunmen continue to commit atrocities with impunity. The organization highlighted the gap between initial police figures and the later count of 40 dead.

Taraba State is located in the central-eastern region of the country. The state faces threats from bandit gangs that are not driven by ideology. These groups clash with police and military forces in remote areas. In a separate incident on Saturday, the Nigerian military said it killed 15 terrorists in an air strike in Borno State.