The 23 Brigade of the Nigerian Army has rejected media reports claiming that women protesters were shot by troops under the Brigade Commander’s escort during communal clashes in Lamurde Local Government Area, Adamawa State.
In a statement on Tuesday, Captain Olusegun Abidoye, Acting Assistant Director of Army Public Relations, described the reports as “baseless, entirely misleading, and an attempt to smear the image of the Brigade and its Commander.” He clarified that neither the Brigade Commander nor his escorts were at the scene, as the Commander was participating virtually in the Chief of Army Staff’s weekly operational briefing at the time.
According to the statement, combined forces of the 23 Brigade Garrison, Nigerian Police Force, NSCDC, and DSS responded to clashes between the Bachama and Chobo communities in Tingno, Rigange, Tito, Waduku, and Lamurde, which erupted around 1:30 a.m. on Monday. The conflict reportedly stemmed from unresolved land disputes and long-standing ethnic tensions.
“During operations, the troops encountered armed militia members suspected to be aligned with the Chobo community. In the ensuing exchange of fire, three gunmen were neutralized, while others fled. A subsequent search along the militia’s withdrawal route led to the discovery of an additional five armed men and a motorcycle,” the statement said.
The Brigade further explained that when troops were moving to secure the Lamurde Local Government Secretariat, women blocked the road to prevent passage, while armed men allegedly aligned with the Bachama fired indiscriminately. Troops cleared a path without harming any women and successfully secured the Secretariat.
Two women were later brought to the Local Government Lodge by community members, who alleged that they had been killed by troops. The Brigade maintained that the fatalities resulted from mishandling of automatic weapons by local militias, not by military personnel.
The statement extended condolences to the families of the deceased and urged both communities to embrace peace to prevent further loss of life and property. It also reaffirmed the Brigade’s commitment to supporting civil authorities and maintaining security in its area of responsibility.
The Nigerian Army urged the public to disregard the reports, describing them as malicious and unfounded.