Survivors and Amnesty International count 40 dead in Binnari village raid
Police confirmed 10 bodies in the Taraba State attack, but community leaders say the toll is four times higher as more remains surface.
By Katherine Barnes ·
Forty people died in the village of Binnari, according to Amnesty International, a figure that stands in stark contrast to the official police count of ten.
The discrepancy emerged in the hours following a violent assault in Taraba State. Police announced on Saturday that they had recovered ten bodies by Friday evening. They identified the attackers as a large group of gunmen riding motorcycles who entered the settlement and looted food from local shops.
Resident accounts place the death toll much higher. Sa'idu Nuhu, a local resident, told the AFP news agency that villagers counted more than 20 bodies after the gunmen departed. He noted that several people remained missing at the time of his statement. Isiyaku Musa, another resident, confirmed a minimum of 20 deaths. Amnesty International released a statement on Saturday asserting that the total number of victims reached forty. The group noted that police had initially reported ten deaths but discovered additional bodies later on Saturday.
Community leader Malam Abubakar Saifullahi described the mechanics of the raid. He said approximately 50 motorcycles arrived at the village, with two men riding each bike. The group opened fire just after Friday prayers concluded. Saifullahi stated that the assailants seized cash, foodstuffs, and other provisions from shops. They also collected motorcycles that residents had abandoned while fleeing the attack.
Amnesty International criticized Nigerian authorities in the same Saturday statement. The organization said officials continue to leave rural communities in parts of the north at the mercy of gunmen. It added that these groups repeatedly commit atrocities with impunity.
The violence fits a wider pattern of banditry in central and northwest Nigeria. These gangs operate in remote areas where state presence is limited. They typically raid villages, kidnap residents for ransom, and levy taxes on farmers and miners. The conflict is distinct from the Boko Haram rebellion in the northeast, which has persisted since 2009.
The Nigerian military announced a separate action on Saturday. It said air strikes in Borno State killed 15 terrorists in the northeast.
Source: Al Jazeera
