At least 40 people have lost their lives due to a violent and "indiscriminate" attack carried out last Friday by an armed group against a locality in the state of Taraba, in northeastern Nigeria, according to Amnesty International.
Initially, the Nigerian Police had only confirmed the discovery of ten bodies, but the death toll has risen to 40 after new corpses were located, in line with the figures provided by the NGO. Authorities have warned that the number of victims could continue to grow as rescue efforts and investigations in the affected area continue.
"In addition to killing people indiscriminately, the armed men also set fire to food, homes, shops, and motorcycles. The community is now littered with lifeless bodies, some burned beyond recognition, while families report that many are still missing," Amnesty has denounced.
The organization has directed harsh criticism at the Nigerian authorities, whom it accuses of "continuing to leave rural communities in some parts of the north at the mercy of armed men who commit atrocities repeatedly with total impunity."
According to Amnesty International, the Abuja Government is limited to "issuing tepid statements," something that "is not enough" in the face of "horrific attacks" like the one that occurred in Taraba.
"A genuine commitment to the protection of people must be demonstrated by ensuring the adequate protection of lives and property, as well as guaranteeing justice for victims. The constant failure of authorities to bring alleged perpetrators to justice is clearly encouraging impunity," the statement reads.
The wave of insecurity in Nigeria, previously concentrated in the northeast of the country — where Boko Haram and its splinter group, Islamic State in West Africa (ISWA), operate — has been spreading in recent years to other areas of the north and northwest, raising concerns about the expansion of these terrorist and criminal networks.