At least ten people have been killed following a violent raid by a large group of gunmen on motorcycles targeting the village of Binnari in Taraba State, eastern Nigeria. Local police reported that ten bodies had been recovered by Friday evening, though the full extent of the carnage remains under ongoing assessment by regional authorities.

Discrepancies persist regarding the exact death toll, with local survivors providing harrowing accounts to international media outlets indicating that at least 20 individuals lost their lives. Meanwhile, the human rights organization Amnesty International released a statement claiming that the death toll has risen to 40 as additional bodies were uncovered in the aftermath of the assault.

Residents reported that the attackers arrived en masse on approximately 50 motorcycles just moments after Friday prayers, initiating indiscriminate gunfire. According to community leaders, the assailants systematically looted local shops, made off with foodstuffs, cash, and provisions, and confiscated motorcycles left behind by fleeing villagers.

The incident underscores the persistent security challenges plaguing northern and central regions of Nigeria, where criminal gangs frequently exploit rural areas with minimal state oversight. Critics and human rights groups have condemned the Nigerian authorities for failing to adequately protect vulnerable rural communities from ongoing atrocities committed with apparent impunity.

Source: www.aljazeera.com