The Nigerian Army’s 23 Brigade and residents of the Bachama community in Lamurde Local Government Area, Adamawa State, are at odds over the killing of women during protests linked to ongoing communal clashes.

While the Army denied any involvement in the deaths, locals claimed that soldiers deployed to maintain peace shot protesters. The clashes are part of a longstanding conflict between the Bachama and Chobo communities in Lamurde.

Locals explained that the women staged a protest after the military allegedly delayed responding to a distress call during an attack by the Chobo community. During the confrontation, it was reported that 10 women were killed and several others injured and hospitalized.

Army’s Account
The Nigerian Army, however, said neither the Brigade Commander nor his escorts were at the scene when the incident occurred. In a statement, Captain Olusegun Abidoye, spokesman for 23 Brigade, said:

“Contrary to the allegations, the Brigade Commander was participating virtually in the Chief of Army Staff’s weekly operational brief at the time of the purported shooting.”

According to the Army, troops were deployed swiftly to restore order after reports of clashes between the Bachama and Chobo communities around 1:35 a.m. on December 8, 2025. During operations, a militia group, suspected to be aligned with the Chobo community, attacked the troops. In response, soldiers neutralized eight gunmen in total—three during a firefight and five found along the withdrawal route.

The Army explained that while moving to secure the Lamurde Local Government Secretariat, women blocked the road, allegedly to stop the troops from pursuing fleeing attackers. During this time, armed individuals from the Bachama side fired indiscriminately. The Army insisted that no women were shot by soldiers, and the two women brought to the council lodge were likely killed due to mishandling of weapons by the militias.

The statement concluded with condolences for the victims’ families and a call for both communities to embrace peace to prevent further loss of life and destruction.