Gunmen kill at least 40 people in northeastern Nigeria, Amnesty International says

The death toll in the village of Binnari, located in Taraba state, Nigeria, has increased to a minimum of 48 following a raid by unidentified gunmen on Friday. Initially, police reported only 10 fatalities after the attackers looted shops and set homes on fire. The police spokesperson, Victor Mshelizah, later discovered additional bodies on Sunday, including some who drowned while attempting to escape the assailants and others who were killed in nearby bushes.

The attack occurred during midday Muslim prayers and continued for up to four hours before the attackers fled and were unable to be located by police. The attackers rode on approximately 50 motorcycles, each carrying two men, and stole cash, food items, and motorcycles abandoned by fleeing residents. Isiyaku Musa, a survivor, recounted how people ran to avoid the attack with no clear safe location.

Amnesty International's Nigeria director, Isa Sanusi, stated that his organization had documented 52 deaths based on information from the ground and local community members. He called for an unbiased investigation into the killings, criticizing the authorities for leaving rural communities "at the mercy of gunmen that repeatedly commit atrocities with impunity." The incident transpired as Nigeria anticipated elections next year, with security concerns likely to be a focal point in political discussions.