Taraba Village Death Toll Jumps to 40 as Police and Survivors Clash

The death toll from a motorcycle raid on Binnari village in Taraba State rose to 40 on Saturday, according to human rights monitors, though local police initially reported only 10 deaths.

Police stated on Saturday that officers recovered 10 bodies by Friday evening following the assault. They described the attackers as a large group of gunmen on motorcycles who looted food from local shops during the raid. However, survivors provided a different count to the AFP news agency, stating that at least 20 people died in the attack.

Amnesty International issued a statement on Saturday asserting that 40 people were killed. The organization noted that while police confirmed 10 deaths initially, additional bodies were discovered later that same day. This discrepancy places the official count at the lower end of the range provided by residents and the rights group.

Local accounts describe the scale of the assault in detail. Sa'idu Nuhu, a resident of Binnari, told AFP that villagers counted more than 20 bodies after the gunmen left, with others still missing. Isiyaku Musa, another resident, placed the death toll at no fewer than 20. Malam Abubakar Saifullahi, a community leader, reported that roughly 50 motorcycles carried the attackers into the village. He said the assailants, paired two per bike, stole cash, foodstuffs, and provisions, and took motorcycles abandoned by fleeing residents.

The violence occurred just after Friday prayers. Amnesty International criticized Nigerian authorities in its statement, saying they continue to leave rural communities in parts of the north at the mercy of gunmen who commit atrocities with impunity. The group emphasized the ongoing threat to areas with limited state presence.

Banditry has expanded across northwest and central Nigeria, where gangs clash with police and military forces. These groups operate without ideology, raiding villages, kidnapping people for ransom, and levying taxes on farmers and miners. Taraba State, located in the center east, faces similar threats. In a separate incident on Saturday, the Nigerian military reported killing 15 terrorists in an air strike in Borno State.