Nigerian Army Headquarters denies killing women in Adamawa clash, blames Militia

The Nigerian Army’s Headquarters 23 Brigade, Yola, refuted allegations that its personnel shot and killed unarmed women during communal clashes in the Lamurde Local Government Area (LGA) of Adamawa State on Monday, December 8.
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The Army insists that the civilian casualties resulted from the unprofessional handling of weapons by the militias involved in the conflict, not from actions by its troops.
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‎In a statement posted on Tuesday by Captain Olusegun Abidoye, Acting Assistant Director, Army Public Relations, the 23 Brigade described the allegations as baseless and misleading.
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‎The Army confirmed that two women were found dead but stated they were killed by hoodlums due to the misuse of their firearms, not by Army personnel.
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‎A combined security force, including troops of the 23 Brigade, Nigerian Police, NSCDC, and DSS, was deployed to restore order following clashes between the Bachama and Chobo tribes over longstanding land disputes.
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‎During the operation, the Army reported that a militia group supporting one of the warring sides attacked the troops. According to the report, soldiers responded by neutralizing three gunmen and later finding additional neutralised members along the way.
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‎The Army clarified that neither the Brigade Commander nor his escorts were at the scene of the communal clash, as the Commander was participating virtually in the Chief of Army Staff’s weekly operational brief at the time.
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‎Despite the Army’s denial, the Bwatiye Youth Wing the umbrella body of the Bachama ethnic group, through its General Secretary Abner Kwakano, accused the soldiers of using excessive force and opening fire on unarmed women protesting in Lamurde town.
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‎The Bwatiye Youth Wing claims the action resulted in the death of no fewer than seven innocent women, a figure higher than the two acknowledged fatalities mentioned by the Army.
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‎The group described the conduct of the soldier as unprofessional and called for legitimate concerns about bias and a departure from peacekeeping standards to be addressed.
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Meanwhile, the Adamawa State Governor Ahmadu Fintiri has declared a 24-hour curfew in Lamurde Local Government Area immediately following the bloody crisis.
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