At least 10 people have been killed in an armed attack on Binnari village in Nigeria’s Taraba State, with residents and human rights groups reporting significantly higher death tolls as authorities assess the casualties.

Police said on Saturday, October 24, that 10 bodies had been recovered following an attack by gunmen who arrived on motorcycles and opened fire shortly after Friday prayers. However, accounts from residents and Amnesty International suggest the number of victims could be considerably higher.

Survivors told the Agence France-Presse news agency that at least 20 people had been killed. Amnesty International reported a death toll of 40, saying additional bodies were discovered later on Saturday. The different figures have not yet been reconciled.

Residents said the attackers also looted shops, taking cash, food and other supplies before leaving on motorcycles reportedly taken from the village. The attack left residents frightened, while some people remained unaccounted for.

Community leader Malam Abubakar Saifullahi said the gunmen arrived on approximately 50 motorcycles, with two people riding on each vehicle.

“After the attackers left, we counted more than 20 bodies, and some people were still missing,” resident Sa’idu Nuhu told AFP.

Amnesty International criticised Nigerian authorities over what it described as their failure to protect rural communities from repeated attacks. The incident adds to persistent security challenges affecting parts of the country.

Nigeria has faced widespread banditry in its northwestern and central regions, including attacks on villages, kidnappings and killings. In the northeast, the country continues to confront an insurgency involving armed groups such as Boko Haram.

Separately, the Nigerian military said it had killed 15 people it described as terrorists during an air strike in Borno State on Saturday. Further details about that operation were not immediately provided in the available report.

The latest attack has renewed concerns about the safety of rural communities and the ability of security forces to prevent deadly violence. With casualty figures still disputed and some residents reportedly missing, the full scale of the Binnari attack remains unclear.

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