At least 37 people have been confirmed dead following an attack by suspected bandits on Binnari village in Karim Lamido Local Government Area of Taraba State.
The attackers reportedly invaded the community on Friday, October 23, 2026, shortly after Muslim residents observed their weekly Jumu’ah prayers, opening fire, looting food items from shops and setting houses, shops and motorcycles ablaze.
Although initial reports put the death toll at 10, further searches by community leaders and youths in nearby bushes and rivers led to the recovery of additional bodies, bringing the number of victims to 37.
The Taraba State Police Command confirmed the incident in a statement issued on Saturday by its Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Victor Mshelizah.
According to the police, the attack occurred at about 3 p.m. when the armed men stormed the village and fired sporadically, causing panic among residents.
Police operatives were mobilised to the scene after receiving a report from the Officer-in-Charge of Binnari. They recovered 10 bodies bearing gunshot wounds and handed them over to their families for burial in accordance with Islamic rites.
The command said additional police personnel had been placed on red alert, while joint reinforcement teams comprising police tactical units, the Police Mobile Force, conventional police officers, the Nigerian Army and other security agencies had been deployed to the area.
The Commissioner of Police in Taraba State, CP Edwin Ogbegaghagha, directed security operatives to sustain coordinated operations, prevent further attacks and apprehend those responsible.
The attackers are suspected to have crossed into Taraba from neighbouring Plateau State. However, the identities of the assa+lants and the motive behind the attack remain unclear.
As of the time of the report, the Taraba State Government had yet to issue an official statement on the killings or announce additional security measures.