The number of people killed in a raid by armed men on a remote village in northeastern Nigeria has climbed to at least 62, according to the national emergency agency. The agency’s confirmation came as officials described the scale of the displacement.
Ladan Ayuba, who heads the National Emergency Management Agency in Taraba state, where the attack took place, said on Tuesday that thousands of people had been forced from their homes by the raid.
Binnari raid, displacement and police warnings
Bandits struck Binnari village in Taraba on Friday, burning houses, shops, food stocks and motorcycles, according to the Nigerian branch of Amnesty International. Police warned that the final toll could still rise.
Victor Mshelizah, the Taraba police spokesperson, said officers were still in the area. “We still have men on the ground, and the more we recover bodies, we will put them in account,” he said.
Amnesty criticises authorities over civilian protection
In a statement, Amnesty International Nigeria said the authorities’ efforts to protect civilians had fallen short. “The Nigerian authorities continue to leave rural communities in some parts of the north at the mercy of gunmen that repeatedly commit atrocities with impunity,” it said.
The group called for an impartial investigation and adequate reparations for survivors. It argued that “issuing bland statements condemning these horrific attacks is not enough.”
Nigeria has faced a security crisis for more than 15 years, since the Boko Haram armed group launched a rebellion against the government. Civilians in the north are regularly attacked and kidnapped for ransom by bandits.
Many armed groups control illegal mining sites, and the profits help them buy more weapons and recruit more members. The Institute for Security Studies said this has fuelled arms smuggling and violence across Nigeria and the wider Sahel region.
