Gunmen believed to be bandits attacked Binnari town in Karim‑Lamdo Local Government Area of [Taraba State](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taraba_State) on Friday, killing at least 52 people, including women and children, and leaving a large number of residents missing as searches continue in the surrounding bush and river.
**Key facts**
- Fifty‑two fatalities were confirmed after 51 bodies were buried on Saturday and one more was recovered on Sunday.
- Amnesty International Nigeria reported 40 deaths initially, while the state police public relations officer, ASP Victor Mshelizah, claimed only ten people were killed.
- Divers recovered 41 bodies from the Binnari River, many of whom were market traders from neighbouring states who could not swim.
- Survivors recounted that the attackers entered the town shortly after Friday prayers and looted shops for about three hours.
- Governor Agbu Kefas has ordered security agencies to intensify operations and pledged N1 billion for peace‑building initiatives.
- A quoted survivor, boat operator Jibri Dabo, said: “Shortly after the Friday prayers at about 3 pm, bandits entered the town, opened fire, and many people fled into the river where they drowned.”
What triggered the assault?
According to Dabo, the gunmen arrived just after the Jumm’at prayers, opened fire in multiple directions and caused panic. Residents fled in different directions; those who could not swim were swept away by the Binnari River. The attackers also looted shops, seized motorcycles, cash and food supplies before withdrawing.
How many casualties have been confirmed?
Official burial figures put the death toll at 52, but figures vary: Amnesty International Nigeria initially counted 40 dead, the police spokesperson cited ten fatalities, and local divers recovered 41 bodies from the river. Several victims, including a six‑month‑old baby named Adamu Rayyanu, sustained gunshot wounds.
What are the victims saying?
Adama Rayyanu, mother of the injured infant, told reporters she was trying to board a boat with her baby when the attackers pursued them to the river; the baby was shot in the foot but survived. Alhaji Saidu Ali, who escaped after running for an hour in the forest, said he lost his market wares and money. Private clinic owner Adams James said 15 injured victims were brought to his facility before being referred to hospitals in Mutumbiyu and Jalingo.
How have authorities responded?
Governor Agbu Kefas, in a statement released by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Digital Communication, Emmanuel Bello, demanded that security agencies act swiftly to restore calm, protect lives and property, and bring the perpetrators to justice. He announced a N1 billion allocation to the Taraba State Bureau for Peace and Conflict Management for post‑attack relief and resettlement.
Senator Shuaibu Isa Lau of Taraba North condemned the massacre and urged immediate assistance for displaced victims. The Taraba State Emergency Management Agency, led by Dr Audu Echuseh, began on‑site assessments and distributed food, mattresses, blankets and other essential items to affected families.
Why is the region vulnerable?
Security analyst Dr Kabiru Adamu blamed poor intelligence sharing, inadequate forest surveillance and weak inter‑state coordination for the attack. He noted that the porous borders of Karim‑Lamdo, close to Gombe, Bauchi and Adamawa states, allow armed groups to move through forest corridors such as the Kambari and Ankari forests, facilitating incursions from neighbouring states, possibly Plateau State.
Adamu recommended a coordinated security framework involving Taraba, Bauchi and Gombe, the creation of a joint operations centre and a regional intelligence fusion hub, as well as the deployment of surveillance technology and community‑based early warning systems.
What do local leaders say?
Community leader Alhaji Tanko Andami reported that the gunmen looted shops, seized motorcycles and took cash and foodstuffs. Trader Alhaji Abubakar Binnari lamented the loss of his merchandise. Columnist Iliyasu Gadu highlighted the area's difficult terrain, poor road access and dense forests as factors that attract criminal groups and impede security operations.
Overall, the attack has left the Binnari community grieving, with many bodies still unrecovered and families awaiting the return of missing relatives. The call for a thorough, impartial investigation and stronger security measures remains urgent.