Gunmen kill at least 40 in attack on village in northeastern Nigeria

On October 23, 2026, heavily armed gunmen launched a deadly raid on Binnari village in Nigeria's northeastern Taraba state, killing at least 40 people. Police initially confirmed 10 deaths, but subsequent body recoveries on October 24 significantly raised the casualty count. Assailants invaded with heavy gunfire and looted food items from local shops, underscoring a wider surge in violent raids by criminal gangs across northern Nigeria.

Binnari village attack

• ▪Assailants invaded Binnari village with heavy gunfire during an attack on October 23, 2026
• ▪A large group of gunmen attacked Binnari village in Nigeria's northeastern Taraba state on the afternoon of October 23, 2026

Death toll reports

• ▪Police initially confirmed 10 deaths following an attack on Binnari village in Taraba state
• ▪Amnesty International reported that at least 40 people were killed in the October 23, 2026 attack on Binnari village

Body recovery updates

• ▪Amnesty International confirmed in a Saturday statement that search efforts on October 24, 2026 recovered more bodies following police's initial tally of 10 fatalities in Binnari
• ▪Additional bodies were recovered on October 24, 2026, raising the confirmed casualty count for the Binnari village attack on October 23, 2026

Food looting by gunmen

• ▪Police confirmed in a statement on October 24, 2026 that food items were stolen from Binnari village shops during an attack by gunmen on October 23, 2026
• ▪Gunmen looted food items from local shops during the October 23, 2026 raid on Binnari village

Northern Nigeria bandit violence

• ▪Bandit gangs operating in northern Nigeria frequently raid villages, kidnap residents for ransom, and steal livestock
• ▪Northern Nigeria has experienced a surge in attacks by heavily armed criminal gangs locally known as bandits