Nigeria village death toll hits 40 as police and survivors clash

Amnesty International reported that 40 people died when gunmen raided Binnari village in Taraba State, a count that far exceeds the 10 deaths confirmed by police. The dispute over the toll highlights the gap between official figures and survivor accounts in eastern Nigeria.

The attack began just after Friday prayers. Sa'idu Nuhu, a resident, told AFP that the community counted more than 20 bodies after the attackers left, with some people still missing. Isiyaku Musa, another resident, also placed the death toll at no fewer than 20. Police stated on Saturday that 10 bodies had been recovered by Friday evening.

Malam Abubakar Saifullahi, a community leader, described the assault as a coordinated raid. He said about 50 motorcycles arrived, each carrying two men. The gunmen looted shops, taking cash, foodstuffs, and other provisions. They also seized motorcycles that residents had abandoned while fleeing.

Police said the attackers looted food from shops during the raid. Amnesty International noted that police initially confirmed 10 deaths but that more bodies were found later on Saturday. The rights group criticized Nigerian authorities in a statement, saying they continue to leave rural communities in some parts of the north at the mercy of gunmen that are repeatedly committing atrocities with impunity.

Banditry has grown in northwest and central Nigeria, where gangs clash with police and military forces in remote areas. Taraba State faces similar threats from groups that raid villages, kidnap people for ransom, and levy taxes on farmers and miners. These groups are not driven by a specific ideology.

Nigeria has also been fighting an armed rebellion since the 2009 Boko Haram uprising. In a separate incident on Saturday, the Nigerian military said it killed 15 terrorists in an air strike in the northeastern state of Borno.