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A handful of Bachama youths protested in front of the NHRC headquarters in Abuja against the killing of women in Lamurde Local Government Area (LGA) of Adamawa State on Wednesday.
Some protesters converged on the front of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) on Wednesday to register their grievances and demand justice over the killing of women allegedly by soldiers in Lamurde Local Government Area (LGA) of Adamawa State.
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The protest against the killings, which reportedly occurred on Monday, coincided with an event commemorating the International Human Rights Day at the NHRC headquarters in Abuja on Wednesday.
The protesters numbering nine, all dressed in black, identified themselves as Bwatiye youths residing in Abuja. The ethnic group is also referred to as the Bachama people, the tribe of the women who were reportedly killed.
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Some of them brandished placards with inscriptions capturing some their demands. “Justice must be served for Bachama women killed!”. Another read, ” Military protection of citizens must be a priority”.
Speaking on behalf of the group, Richard Christopher told PREMIUM TIMES decried the recent incident in Lamurde local government area, where, he said, “soldiers brutally killed 10 women.”
“We are peacefully demonstrating the need for peace to return to Lamurde…So, we are here to register our plight at the Nigerian Human Rights Commission here in Abuja so that our voice will be heard,” he said.
Mr Christopher also said his group would lodge an official complaint at the NHRC to seek redress.
Daily Trust reported on Tuesday that seven women were killed while 11 others injured after soldiers fired shots during the women’s protest against alleged delayed an biased intervention of the military in a conflict between the Bachama and Chobo communities in the area of Nigeria’s north-eastern state.
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.
According to the newspaper, “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.”
However, the Nigerian Army denied the allegations in a statement on Tuesday.
The Acting Assistant Director, Army Public Relations, Sector 4 Operation Hadin Kai / 23 Brigade of the Nigerian Army, Olusegun Abidoye, described the reported killing of the women protesters blamed on soldiers as “baseless”.
Mr Olusegun confirmed the death of only two women which he attributed to a militia group.
He 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, Mr Abidoye said the troops “neutralised” eight militia members and later saw the bodies of two women, whose deaths he attributed to the militia group.
NHRC condemns the killing
Meanwhile, the NHRC condemned the killing of the women in a statement on Tuesday evening.
According to the commission, “such actions amount to grave violations of human right.”
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The commission said the act of violence was “even more embarrassing as it comes during the global 16 Days of Activism on Violence Against Women and three days to the Human Rights Day.”
The NHRC noted that the killings, whether allegedly by the armed forces or non-state actors, are condemnable.
It therefore called on all responsible authorities to launch an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the killings and to ensure there is no recurrence.
Also, commission demanded that the federal government review security protocols to prevent excessive use of force and “measures for reparation and psychological support be made available to survivors and families of victims.”
The NHRC also urged the Adamawa State Government to initiate an urgent peace-building mechanism to resolve the inter-communal conflicts in the state.
