At least 10 people have been killed after armed men attacked a remote village in Nigeria’s north-eastern Taraba State, looting shops and setting homes on fire, according to police.
The attack occurred in Binnari, in the Karim Lamido area, shortly after midday Muslim prayers on Friday. Witnesses reported that the assailants arrived on motorcycles and carried out a rampage that lasted several hours before fleeing.
Police said officers responded to a distress call and recovered 10 bodies bearing gunshot wounds. Authorities are continuing searches in nearby bushland for possible additional victims, amid concerns that the confirmed death toll may not reflect the full scale of the violence.
Eyewitnesses reportedly put the number of people killed at around 20, while a non-governmental organisation suggested the toll could be as high as 50. These higher figures have not been confirmed by police.
The incident has renewed concerns about the safety of rural communities in Nigeria, where armed groups have carried out attacks, killings and abductions in several parts of the country.
Amnesty International has criticised the authorities over what it describes as a failure to adequately protect vulnerable communities from repeated violence.
Nigeria is facing multiple security challenges, including armed criminal groups operating in the northwest and central regions, as well as a long-running jihadist insurgency in the northeast that has persisted for nearly two decades.
Police said the attackers had escaped before officers arrived, but security personnel remained in the area to restore calm and continue investigations.
Authorities have yet to establish the full number of casualties or publicly identify those responsible for the attack. Further information is expected as searches continue.
