Bandits Attack: Reps seek security, humanitarian intervention in Taraba

The House of Representatives has called for urgent security and humanitarian interventions following a deadly bandit attack on Binnari community in Karim Lamido Local Government Area of Taraba State, which reportedly left between 57 and 60 people dead.

The lawmakers also urged the federal government to complete the abandoned Wase-Karim Lamido road project to improve security operations and enable the rapid deployment of security personnel to affected communities.

The resolutions followed a motion of urgent public importance moved by Mohammed Audu (APC, Taraba) during Thursday’s plenary.

Presenting the motion, Mr Audu said the attack occurred on 23 October when traders and residents gathered at the community market.

He said the attackers opened fire, killing 10 people at the scene, while the ensuing panic caused several people to jump into a river, bringing the reported death toll to between 57 and 60.

According to the lawmaker, the attackers allegedly came from forested areas in Plateau State, including Dutsen Zaki in Wase Local Government Area, Kukawa in Kanam Local Government Area and areas around the Yankari Game Reserve and Gwana Mountain in Alkaleri Local Government Area of Bauchi State.

He said these areas shared boundaries with communities in Karim Lamido, making improved road access and coordinated security operations necessary to prevent further attacks.

Mr Audu described the incident as unprecedented in its scale in Karim Lamido, adding that the affected communities had suffered considerably because of the lack of access roads.

“This type of deadly attack has never taken place in Karim Lamido Local Government; the people of Karim Lamido have suffered a lot. No access road leading to all these areas,” he said.

He also reported another attack on 26 October in neighbouring Gomben Dela community, where the assailants allegedly looted food items and seized vehicles. No deaths were reported in the second incident.

The lawmaker asked the House to observe a minute of silence for those killed in Binnari and neighbouring villages.

He further urged the federal government to strengthen intelligence sharing among security agencies in Taraba, Plateau and Bauchi states to prevent a recurrence.

Mr Audu also called on the North-East Development Commission (NEDC), the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons and other humanitarian agencies to provide relief materials to affected communities.

He listed building materials, food, blankets, mattresses and mats among the items needed to support survivors and affected families.

The motion also commended the Taraba State Governor, security commanders and other security agencies for their response to the attack.

Lawmakers question response to recurring attacks

Contributing to the debate, the Minority Leader, Fred Agbedi, expressed concern over the recurring attacks on communities across the country, questioning whether the government was doing enough to protect lives and property.

He said the House had repeatedly been confronted with reports of killings and destruction of property, often followed by motions and minutes of silence.

“I remember that in 2016, on this same floor, I rose to say that the life of a Nigerian is just now worth a one-minute silence,” Mr Agbedi said.

He acknowledged the efforts of security personnel but argued that the scale of the attacks demanded a stronger response, particularly through the deployment of modern technology.

According to him, attackers often invade communities, carry out killings and leave before security agencies respond.

“The situation where criminals will go to a community, attack the community, and there is no response. They finish. They will leave, and then we start reacting. It’s like medicine after death,” he said.

Mr Agbedi questioned whether the country had adequately deployed technological tools to identify attackers and trace their movements.

He also raised concerns about the funding and implementation of security budgets, urging relevant House committees to move beyond resolutions and take practical steps to improve national security.

He said lawmakers serving on security-related committees had a responsibility to work closely with security agencies and ensure that the necessary measures were implemented to protect Nigerians.

Another Taraba lawmaker, Jaafaru Yakubu, said the state and neighbouring areas had experienced coordinated criminal activities, including banditry and kidnapping.

Mr Yakubu said the Binnari attack was followed by another assault in which the attackers allegedly took food items and destroyed facilities belonging to the federal government.

Kalu defends Tinubu administration’s security record

Presiding over the plenary, Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu acknowledged the concerns raised by Mr Agbedi but defended the federal government’s efforts to tackle insecurity.

Mr Kalu said the House’s resolutions had contributed to measures taken by the government and that the legislature should not be seen as merely holding sessions without achieving results.

He cited figures he attributed to government reports, including more than 13,000 terrorists reportedly killed in the preceding year and an 81 per cent reduction in violent deaths since 2023.

He also said more than 124,000 fighters and their family members had surrendered since 2023, while over 104,000 people had been processed through the Safe Corridor programme in collaboration with the Multinational Joint Task Force.

The deputy speaker further said the number of local government areas under insurgent control had declined from 17 in 2022 to six, citing data from 2025.

On weapons recovery, he said more than 19,000 illegal weapons had been destroyed.

Mr Kalu also highlighted an increase in security spending, saying the allocation rose from ₦2.98 trillion in 2023 to ₦3.25 trillion in 2024, ₦4.91 trillion in 2025 and ₦5.4 trillion in 2026.

He added that the government had recruited 30,000 additional police personnel and expanded electronic policing initiatives.

The deputy speaker said the figures demonstrated that the government was acting on the legislature’s interventions and that security operations were producing results.

He maintained that the minute of silence was intended to honour victims, while the government continued efforts to reduce insecurity.

“Your resolutions here, your motions here, do not end only with one minute silence. The one-minute silence is to honor those who have lost their life, but the number is shrinking by the day because the government is deliberate in making sure that the issue of insecurity is reduced, and we must give kudos to whom kudos is due. This administration has been doing tremendously well,” he said.

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Motion referred to committees

The House subsequently adopted the motion through a voice vote and observed a minute of silence in honour of those killed in the attacks.

Mr Kalu referred the matter to the House Committees on the North-East Development Commission, Works and NEMA for further legislative action.

The referral to the works committee is expected to facilitate consideration of the abandoned Wase-Karim Lamido road project, which the lawmakers said would improve access for security personnel responding to emergencies.

The committees are expected to pursue the House’s resolutions on road access, emergency response and assistance to communities affected by the attacks.