Residents of Binari community in Karim Lamido Local Government Area of Taraba State have fled their homes after suspected bandits launched a deadly attack that reportedly killed 26 villagers, including women and children, shortly after Juma’a prayers on Friday.
Several other residents were still missing as of the time of filing this report. Local volunteers have continued search operations in nearby bushes and surrounding areas in an effort to locate those unaccounted for.
A resident, Mallam Abdul Kumbi, who spoke with National Accord by telephone, described the attack as carefully planned and unprovoked. According to him, the gunmen were unfamiliar faces and were not believed to be from the area.
Kumbi said the attackers reportedly entered the community from neighbouring Bauchi State through the Kompany Asusar Road before storming Binari, a settlement located along the banks of the River Benue.
He explained that the assailants arrived on more than 40 motorcycles, with about three armed men riding on each motorcycle. They were said to be carrying guns and cutlasses.
“The attackers came through Bauchi, they target our community at the time Juma’a prayers got finished yesterday. There is a vigilant group office that is very close to the Mosque, they targeted the vigilant group personnel and kill many of them.
“They also killed the worshipers who just came out of the Mosque, after the killings, they use their motorcycles and return through the same road they came from.”
The attack has thrown the community into mourning, forcing many families to abandon their homes over fears of another invasion. Residents said the incident has created panic across nearby settlements.
When contacted, the spokesperson of the Taraba State Police Command, Victor Msherizar, confirmed that armed men attacked the community. However, he said the police had confirmed the deaths of 10 people.
According to him, security personnel have been deployed to the area to pursue the attackers and prevent further violence.
He added that calm has been restored to the community, while security operatives remain on standby to respond to any fresh threat.
The latest attack adds to growing security concerns in parts of Taraba State, where rural communities have in recent years suffered repeated attacks by armed groups, leading to loss of lives, displacement of residents and destruction of property. Community leaders have continued to call for stronger security presence and improved surveillance to protect vulnerable villages from further attacks.
