Northern senators seek probe into killing of 26 Taraba worshippers

The Northern Senators Forum has called for a comprehensive investigation into the killing of at least 26 people in Binari community, Karim-Lamido Local Government Area of Taraba State, urging security agencies to arrest and prosecute those responsible.

The attack occurred on Friday, October 23, 2026, shortly after Muslim residents observed their weekly Juma’at prayers. The victims reportedly included women, children, worshippers and members of a local vigilante group operating near the mosque.

In a condolence statement issued on Monday, the forum’s chairman, Senator Abdulaziz Musa Yar’Adua, described the killings as barbaric and expressed sympathy with the Taraba State Government, residents of Binari and the families of those killed.

The lawmakers called on the Nigeria Police Force, the Department of State Services and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps to strengthen security operations in Karim-Lamido and surrounding communities.

They specifically requested the establishment of a Forward Operating Base and the deployment of intelligence-led patrols along the Kompany-Asusar route and the River Benue corridor. The measures, according to the forum, would improve surveillance, strengthen rapid response and help prevent further attacks.

The senators also urged the National Emergency Management Agency and well-meaning Nigerians to provide urgent humanitarian assistance to affected residents and families facing displacement and other consequences of the violence.

The forum insisted that those responsible must be identified, apprehended and prosecuted, stressing the need for concrete action to protect vulnerable rural communities.

The reported death toll has also been disputed. While the senators’ statement referred to at least 26 fatalities, subsequent reports cited Amnesty International as putting the number killed at 40, with concerns that additional victims could still be unaccounted for.

The attack has renewed concerns about insecurity in rural parts of Taraba State, where communities face threats from armed groups and often depend on local vigilantes for protection.

The senators called for stronger security measures and a thorough investigation to ensure accountability and prevent a recurrence of the violence.