The death toll from the deadly attack on Binnari community in Karim Lamido Local Government Area of Taraba State has risen to 50, with residents recovering bodies from nearby bushes and a river, community sources have said.
The figure is far higher than the 10 fatalities initially confirmed by the police, raising fresh concerns over the scale of the violence and the vulnerability of communities along the Taraba-Plateau border.
Gunmen reportedly stormed Binnari on Friday shortly after Jumu’ah prayers, firing indiscriminately, looting homes and food supplies, and setting shops and motorcycles ablaze.
According to community accounts, 27 additional bodies were recovered during searches of surrounding bushes after the initial discovery of 10 corpses. Another 13 bodies, many reportedly belonging to children, were later found in a river and nearby bushes.
Some of the victims were said to have drowned, while others were reportedly struck by stray bullets. The circumstances surrounding the deaths have yet to be independently established.
In its initial account, the Taraba State Police Command said officers recovered 10 bodies bearing gunshot wounds and handed them over to their families for burial in accordance with Islamic rites.
Police spokesman, ASP Victor Mshelizah, said additional personnel had been placed on alert, while joint teams involving police tactical units, the Police Mobile Force, the Nigerian Army and other security agencies were deployed to the area.
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.
Babangida Ibrahim, commander of the Hunters Association, said security personnel responded after the alarm was raised, forcing the attackers to flee as reinforcements approached.
He, however, called for better equipment for local hunters, alleging that restrictions on their possession of firearms weakened their ability to defend vulnerable communities.
A community stakeholder, Tanko Bobbo Andemin, blamed poor road access for worsening the security situation, urging the government to connect Karim Lamido to better road networks to enable security personnel to respond more quickly to attacks.
The member representing Karim II State Constituency in the Taraba State House of Assembly, Anas Shuaibu, described the killings as “one attack too many” and urged the Plateau State Government to strengthen security along the border.
Meanwhile, the Taraba State Emergency Management Agency has delivered food and non-food items to affected residents, while assessing the damage and the need for further humanitarian assistance.
The agency’s Executive Secretary, Echuseh Audu, urged residents to remain calm and vigilant and cooperate with security agencies by providing credible information.
Thousands of residents have reportedly been displaced and are taking refuge in neighbouring communities as authorities promise additional security deployments.
The victims have been buried in a mass burial, while survivors continue to count their losses and await stronger measures to prevent further attacks.