Madar (Abuja) - The death toll from Friday's attack by gunmen on the remote village of Binnari in Taraba state, north-eastern Nigeria, has risen to at least 48, police said on Sunday, October 25, 2026, the BBC reported.
Police had initially reported 10 deaths before more bodies were discovered on Sunday. State police spokesperson Victor Mshelizah said some of the victims drowned while trying to escape the attackers, while others were killed in nearby bushes.
According to the BBC, the attack began just after midday prayers and went on for up to four hours, with the gunmen, on motorcycles, looting shops and setting houses ablaze. Community leader Malam Abubakar Saifullahi told AFP the attackers arrived on about 50 motorcycles, two men apiece, and took cash and foodstuffs.
Amnesty International said it had confirmed 52 deaths, citing sources on the ground and members of the local community. Its Nigeria director, Isa Sanusi, called for an impartial investigation, accusing the authorities of leaving rural communities "at the mercy of gunmen".
The authorities have not identified the attackers. Parts of north-eastern Nigeria have for years been affected by violence involving armed groups and gangs that raid communities and abduct residents, as the country prepares for elections next year.
