Taraba state village attacked by gunmen leaving at least 10 dead

Armed assailants on motorcycles have attacked a remote community in northeastern Nigeria, killing at least 10 people, burning residences and ransacking local businesses, authorities confirmed.

The assault took place in Binnari, a village situated in the Karim Lamido area of Taraba state. Assailants reportedly arrived shortly after midday Muslim prayers on Friday, launching an onslaught that lasted up to four hours before security forces responded.

Police reported recovering 10 bodies with gunshot injuries after receiving an emergency alert. However, officials and local residents fear the eventual casualty count could be considerably higher. Surviving villagers told news agency AFP that they had counted at least 20 corpses, while a non-governmental organisation indicated the loss of life might be much greater. Isa Sanusi, the director of Amnesty International Nigeria, told BBC News that relatives of victims reported up to 50 fatalities, noting that 37 people were buried in an initial funeral service.

According to community leader Malam Abubakar Saifullahi, the raiders arrived riding approximately 50 motorbikes, carrying two men on each vehicle. The attackers stole cash, food supplies and other goods from local shops, while also taking motorbikes that residents had abandoned while trying to escape. Eyewitnesses described chaotic scenes as villagers scattered into surrounding areas with no clear idea of where they could find safety. Several residents remain unaccounted for, according to local survivors.

Police spokesperson Assistant Superintendent Victor Mshelizah told BBC News on Saturday that responding units managed to disperse the assailants without sustaining or inflicting casualties, citing the challenging environment and the attackers' familiarity with the local geography. Officers are continuing to comb nearby bushland to locate missing residents or additional victims, and authorities have cautioned that the official count may increase.

The deadly incident is part of a broader pattern of insecurity plaguing Nigeria, where armed bands regularly target rural populations across the northwest, central and northeast zones. In addition to widespread criminal violence, the country has struggled against a prolonged jihadist conflict in the northeast spanning nearly twenty years.

Human rights advocates have renewed their criticism of the government's response to the persistent violence. Amnesty International accused official security institutions of leaving vulnerable rural populations exposed to repeated raids by armed groups operating without consequence, calling on authorities to conduct a thorough and independent inquiry into the Binnari killings.