Gunmen kill at least 10 villagers and loot shops in northeast Nigeria
Armed gunmen on motorcycles attacked the village of Binnari in Nigeria's Taraba state, killing at least 10 people and looting local businesses. Authorities are searching for more casualties, while local reports suggest the death toll could be significantly higher.
Why it matters
The attack highlights the ongoing security crisis and the vulnerability of rural communities in Nigeria to armed insurgent groups.
Image source, AFP via Getty Images Image caption, File image of Nigerian police officers
Unknown gunmen have raided a remote village in the northeast Nigerian state of Taraba, killing at least 10 people, looting shops and setting houses ablaze, police say.
There are fears the actual death toll is much higher, with eyewitnesses speaking of 20 lives lost and a non-governmental organisation suggesting a toll of as many as 50.
The gunmen reportedly swooped on the village of Binnari in the Karim Lamido area mounted on motorcycles just after midday Muslim prayers on Friday in a rampage that went on for up to four hours.
Police say they are searching for other casualties in the bush but the authorities were accused by Amnesty International of failing to protect rural communities.
Nigeria continues to face attacks by armed groups across several regions, including the northwest, northeast and central regions.
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