The death toll from a gunmen’s attack on Binnari community in Karim Lamido Local Government Area of Taraba State has risen to 50, according to community accounts, as the state government delivers relief materials to displaced residents.
The police had initially reported that 10 bodies were recovered after the attackers invaded the community on Friday, shortly after Jumu’ah prayers.
The gunmen reportedly fired indiscriminately, looted homes and food items, and set shops and motorcycles ablaze.
The Taraba State Police Command said in a statement on Saturday that officers recovered 10 bodies bearing gunshot wounds and handed them over to their families for burial in accordance with Islamic rites.
The command’s spokesperson, ASP Victor Mshelizah, said additional personnel had been placed on alert, while joint teams comprising police tactical units, the Police Mobile Force, the Nigerian Army and other security agencies were deployed to the area.
However, community accounts put the death toll at 50 after further searches of nearby bushes and a river.
Residents said 27 additional bodies were recovered from surrounding bushes, while another 13, mostly children, were found in a river and nearby areas. Some victims reportedly drowned, while others were hit by stray bullets.
Residents alleged that the attackers crossed into Binnari from neighbouring Plateau State with sophisticated weapons and said the community had suffered three attacks by armed groups.
The Commander of the Hunters Association, Babangida Ibrahim, said police and army personnel responded after the alarm was raised, forcing the attackers to flee as security operatives approached.
Ibrahim called on the government to strengthen local security arrangements, including providing hunters with better weapons to confront armed groups.
A community stakeholder, Tanko Bobbo Andemin, urged the government to address recurring attacks and improve road access to Karim Lamido, saying poor roads made it difficult for security personnel to reach affected communities promptly.
The member representing Karim II State Constituency in the Taraba State House of Assembly, Anas Shuaibu, described the attack as another serious security failure and appealed to the Plateau State Government to strengthen patrols along the border.
He said he would report the incident to Taraba State Governor Agbu Kefas and expressed hope that both state governments would work together to prevent further attacks.
Kefas condemned the killings and directed security agencies to take urgent steps to restore calm, protect lives and property, and apprehend those responsible.
In a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Digital Communications, Emmanuel Bello, the governor reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to restoring peace in Karim Lamido and supporting displaced residents.
The governor had also approved ₦1bn for the Taraba State Bureau for Peace and Conflict Management to address the effects of previous crises and support peacebuilding initiatives in the area.
Meanwhile, the Taraba State Emergency Management Agency has delivered food and non-food items to the affected community, where thousands of residents have reportedly fled to neighbouring communities.
The agency’s Executive Secretary, Echuseh Audu, said officials had assessed the damage to determine additional humanitarian needs.
She urged residents to remain calm and vigilant and to share credible information with security agencies to help prevent further attacks.
The state government said additional security personnel were being deployed to prevent a recurrence and ensure that those responsible were brought to justice.
The victims have been buried in a mass burial as residents assess their losses and await further security measures.
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