The Nigerian Army has denied media reports of the killing of seven women protesters on Monday by soldiers in the convoy of a brigade commander in Lamurde Local Government Area of Adamawa State.
According to a report by Daily Trust, the women were protesting an alleged delayed response by the military to a conflict between the Bachama and Chobo communities in the area when the incident occurred.
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The women were said to have blocked the movement of troops into the area after accusing security agencies of biased interventions in favour of the Chobo community.
“However, during the confrontation, sources said the military allegedly fired shots into the crowd and four of the women died on the spot, while three others died in the hospital. It was further learnt that 11 others, who were injured, are currently receiving treatment,” the newspaper reported.
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“They came out peacefully, carrying leaves, begging for security; instead, they were met with live gunfire,” the newspaper further stated, quoting Agoso Bamaiyi, the district head of Gyawana, a community in Lamurde LGA.
“The wounded were rushed to Numan General Hospital, where medical officials say some remain in critical condition,” Mr Bamaiyi reportedly added.
However, in a statement issued on Tuesday, Olusegun Abidoye, the Acting Assistant Director, Army Public Relations, Sector 4 Operation Hadin Kai / 23 Brigade, described the reported killing of the women protesters by soldiers as “baseless.”
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Mr Abidoye, a captain, said the troops had a confrontation with members of a militia group fighting for one of the warring communities, while some women tried to block the troops’ passage to secure the local government secretariat.
During the confrontation, he said the troops “neutralised” eight militia members and later saw the bodies of two women, whose deaths he attributed to the militia group.
Mr Abidoye denied the presence of the brigade commander or his escorts at the scene of the reported encounter.
He said: “It is necessary to inform the general public that neither the Brigade Commander nor his escorts was at the scene of the communal clash as the Brigade Commander was participating virtually in the Chief of Army Staff’s weekly operational brief at the time of the purported shooting by his escorts.
“Headquarters 23 Brigade wishes to set the record straight that combined troops of 23 Brigade Garrison, Nigerian Police Force, NSCDC and DSS received information about the communal clashes between Bachama and Chobo tribes of Lamurde LGA of Adamawa State at about 0135 hours ( 1:30 AM) of Monday, 8 December 2025.
“The communal clash was as a result of the unresolved land disputes and ethnic acrimony between Chobo and Bachama tribes. Troops moved swiftly to the affected communities to return normalcy to the affected areas of Tingno, Rigange, Tito, Waduku and Lamurde.
“In the course of its operations, a militia armed group suspected of fighting for one of the warring communities- Chobo attacked the troops. The troops, being a professional, adaptable and combat-ready force, decisively engaged the militia-armed men in the firefight. During the exchange of fire, troops neutralised 3 of the gunmen and forced other members of the militia group to flee the general area. The troops were able to put the clashes under control.
“The troops and other security agencies later exploited the withdrawal route of the militia group, where an additional 5 neutralised members of the armed men were discovered with a motorcycle. Furthermore, the troops received a distress call that a warring community had mobilised to attack the Lamurde Local Government’s Secretariat.
“While moving to secure the Secretariat, some women blocked the road to deny troops passage to the Secretariat while armed men suspected to be fighting for Bachama extraction fired indiscriminately within the community. Troops then created a passage and proceeded to the Local Government Secretariat ( LGS) to secure the area. At this point, no woman was shot or injured. Otherwise, troops would not have been allowed to find any passage through the crowd.
“The troops were able to secure the Secretariat from the assailant. While stationed at the Local Government Lodge (LGL), 2 corpses of women were brought to the Lodge by the people of the community and alleged that they were killed by own troops.
“Without equivocation, the casualties were caused by the unprofessional handling of automatic weapons by the local militias who are not proficiently trained to handle such automatic weapons.
“Notwithstanding, the Brigade deeply sympathises with the family of the slain woman and urges the warring communities to embrace peace to avoid unnecessary loss of lives and destruction of properties.
“The Brigade remains resolute and committed to the discharge of its constitutional duties in aid of civil authorities and will continue to apply due diligence as it conducts its operational engagements to ensure peace and stability in its Area of Responsibility.
“Headquarters 23 Brigade urges the general public to kindly disregard the malicious report,” the statement stated.
Curfew
The incident, which prompted the state government to impose a 24-hour curfew on the area, is the latest flashpoint in a cycle of violence that has repeatedly tested the credibility of peacebuilding efforts in the Numan Federation.
The police have deployed tactical units across Rugange, Wadugo and other hotspots, while security forces continue to patrol key locations. Yet residents worry that the curfew merely pauses the violence without addressing structural grievances.
Adamawa has seen several rounds of curfews in recent years, each coinciding with violent outbreaks in the Numan Federation.
The latest clashes reportedly began after a dispute involving a missing motorcycle escalated into threats and retaliation. But analysts note that deeper issues, land disputes, boundary disagreements, competition over farmlands, and weakened traditional conflict-resolution systems continue to fuel the violence.
The conflicting narratives over the current incident have further eroded confidence in the local peace process, which has struggled to contain recurring hostility between the two ethnic groups.
In recent years, some civil society organisations, such as Search for Common Ground (SFCG), established early-warning mechanisms and dialogue platforms. However, local actors say these structures lack sufficient government backing.
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“The structures exist, but without strong follow-up, they cannot prevent attacks when tensions flare,” said community leader Zati Bawa. “People are losing trust in promises that remain on paper.”
What next?
For Lamurde, where tensions remain high and years of unresolved disputes continue to shape local dynamics, the coming days will be crucial. Whether the state government can restore confidence and prevent another round of violence may determine if the region edges toward stability or deeper fragmentation.
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