Binnari village raid toll rises

Amnesty International stated on Saturday that 40 people were killed in an assault on Binnari village in Taraba State, eastern Nigeria. The human rights organization said police initially confirmed 10 deaths, but additional bodies were located later in the day.

Taraba State police reported on Saturday that 10 bodies had been recovered by Friday evening. Officers said a large group of gunmen on motorcycles carried out the attack. The raid also included the looting of food from local shops.

Survivors provided different figures to the AFP news agency. At least 20 people were reported dead by local witnesses. 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. Isiyaku Musa, another resident, also placed the death toll at no fewer than 20.

Malam Abubakar Saifullahi, a community leader, described the scale of the force. He said the assailants arrived on approximately 50 motorcycles. Two men rode on each bike. The group raided the village just after Friday prayers. Saifullahi said the gunmen looted shops and took cash, foodstuffs, and other provisions. They also seized motorcycles abandoned by villagers who fled the attack.

Amnesty International criticized the Nigerian authorities in a statement. The group said officials continue to leave rural communities in parts of the north at the mercy of gunmen. The organization described these groups as repeatedly committing atrocities with impunity.

Banditry has grown in northwest and central Nigeria. Powerful gangs clash with police and military forces in remote rural areas. Taraba State faces similar threats from bandit groups that operate without specific ideological drivers. These gangs raid villages, kidnap people for ransom, and levy taxes on farmers and miners in areas with limited state presence.

The military also reported a separate operation on Saturday. Nigerian forces killed 15 terrorists in an air strike in Borno State, located in the northeast.