Military unit in adamawa state refutes claims, insists rival community gunfire killed two civilians
The Nigerian Army’s 23 Brigade in Adamawa State has strongly denied media reports alleging that its troops opened fire on women protesting a recent communal clash.
The false reports claimed that the soldiers had allegedly killed seven women during the protest in Lamurde Local Government Area. The Brigade released an official statement on Tuesday, vehemently refuting the claims and labeling them as false and misleading information.
The Army insisted that neither the Brigade Commander nor his escort was present at the scene when the violence occurred, completely dismissing the allegations of direct involvement. The official denial was issued by the spokesperson of 23 Brigade, Captain Olusegun Abidoye. The statement was titled “Report of Purported Shooting of Women Protesters by Escorts to Brigade Commander, Absolutely False.”
Violence stemmed from communal clash between Bachama and Chobo
The military provided context for the deployment, explaining that the violence stemmed from a renewed communal clash between the Bachama and Chobo communities. This conflict is rooted in unresolved land disputes and long-standing ethnic tensions between the two groups. The affected areas included Tingno, Rigange, Tito, Waduku, and the main Lamurde town, all within the Local Government Area.
The 23 Brigade confirmed that a combined team of security forces was activated following a distress report received at about 1:35 a.m. on Monday, 8 December 2025. The security team included troops from the Nigerian Army, Nigerian Police Force, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), and the Department of State Services (DSS). Their mission was to intervene and restore calm amidst the escalating hostilities between the two rival groups.
Troops engaged suspected militia, eight neutralized in firefight
During the initial troop intervention, the Army reported that a militia group suspected to be aligned with the Chobo community launched an attack on the security forces. A fierce firefight ensued as the combined troops moved to repel the attackers and stabilize the situation. The military confirmed that three gunmen were neutralized during this direct engagement with the armed militia.
The operation continued with further exploitation of the surrounding area along the militia’s escape route. This subsequent action led to the discovery of five additional neutralised militia members and a motorcycle. In total, the intervention force accounted for eight neutralised militia members suspected of perpetrating the communal violence. This decisive kinetic action was aimed at immediately subduing the armed groups.
Army denies contact with women, blames rival gunfire for fatalities
The 23 Brigade detailed the sequence of events leading to the alleged shooting of the women protesters. The troops later received intelligence reports that another group of individuals had mobilized with the intention of attacking the Lamurde Local Government Secretariat. While the soldiers were advancing to secure the key facility, they encountered a roadblock set up by a group of women.
The military maintained that at this point, armed men, who they believe were aligned with the rival Bachama community, allegedly fired indiscriminately into the area. The Army “categorically maintained that no woman was shot or injured by its troops” during the entire encounter. Soldiers only created a passage through the crowd and successfully secured the secretariat without firing at the civilians.
Two corpses brought to lodge, army rejects residents’ allegations
The Army further explained that shortly after the security forces were stationed at the Local Government Lodge, residents brought in two corpses of women. These residents reportedly claimed that the women had been killed by soldiers during the commotion. The 23 Brigade flatly rejected this grave allegation, stating that the deaths were undeniably caused by the indiscriminate gunfire from the rival local militia members.
The military command expressed deep sympathy to the families of the two deceased women, despite refuting responsibility for the deaths. They reiterated their unwavering commitment to maintaining peace and supporting civil authorities in the state. The 23 Brigade strongly urged the affected Bachama and Chobo communities to embrace peace and avoid any further loss of lives and property.
Brigade urges public to disregard malicious and misleading report
The Nigerian Army concluded its statement by appealing to the general public to completely disregard what it unequivocally described as a malicious and misleading report. They emphasized the importance of accurate reporting during such sensitive communal clashes to avoid inflaming tensions. The Brigade reaffirmed its dedication to conducting operations professionally while supporting the civil administration in Adamawa State.
The military reiterated that their mandate is solely to restore peace and order, not to engage in actions that harm innocent civilians. The focus remains on countering the violence instigated by the armed militia members from the warring communities. The 23 Brigade maintains that their actions were strictly aligned with protecting lives and securing government infrastructure during the volatile conflict.
