- Safiu Kehinde
The Nigerian Army has opened up on the alleged shooting of protesting women by troops in Adamawa state.
As contained in a statement issued on Tuesday by the spokesperson of the Sector 4 Operation Hadin Kai and 23 Brigade, Cpt. Olusegun Abidoye, dismissed reports alleging that troops attached to the operation fired at protesting women during a clash between Bachama and Chobo tribes of Lamurde Local Government Area of the state.
While labelling the allegation as a smear campaign against the image of the Brigade and its Commander and by extension the Nigerian Army, Abidoye recounted how the clash had ensued with one of the warring communities securing the service of an armed militia group for the communal clash which occured yesterday.
“It is necessary to inform the general public that neither the Brigade Commander nor his escorts was at the scene of the communal clash as the Brigade Commander was participating virtually in the Chief of Army Staff’s weekly operational brief at the time of the purported shooting by his escorts.
“Headquarters 23 Brigade wishes to set the record straight that combined troops of 23 Brigade Garrison, Nigerian Police Force, NSCDC and DSS received information about the communal clashes between Bachama and Chobo tribes of Lamurde LGA of Adamawa State at about 0135 hours ( 1:30 AM) of Monday, 8 December 2025.
“The communal clash was as a result of the unresolved land disputes and ethnic acrimony between Chobo and Bachama tribes.
“Troops moved swiftly to the affected communities to return normalcy to the affected areas of Tingno, Rigange, Tito, Waduku and Lamurde.
“In the course of its operations, a militia armed group suspected of fighting for one of the warring communities- Chobo attacked the troops.
“The troops, being a professional, adaptable and combat ready force decisively engaged the militia armed men in the fire fight.
“During the exchange of fire, troops neutralized 3 of the gunmen and forced other members of the militia group to flee the general area.
“The troops were able to put the clashes under control. The troops and other security agencies later exploited the withdrawal route of the militia group, where an additional 5 neutralized members of the armed men were discovered with a motorcycle.” the Brigade spokesperson narrated.
He further disclosed that the protesting women had engaged in a face-off with the troops who were on their way to protect the Lamurde LGA reported to be targeted for attack by members of the community.
Despite obstruction of road by the women, Abidoye affirmed that no woman was shot or injured by the troops.
He attributed the reported killing of two woman to the armed militias invited by one of the warring tribe.
“Furthermore, the troops received a distress call that a warring community had mobilized to attack Lamurde Local Government’s Secretariat.
“While moving to secure the Secretariat, some women blocked the road to deny troops passage to the Secretariat while armed men suspected to be fighting for Bachama extraction fired indiscriminately within the community.
“Troops then created a passage and proceeded to the Local Government Secretariat ( LGS) to secure the area. At this point, no woman was shot or injured.
“Otherwise, troops would not have been allowed to find any passage through the crowd. The troops were able to secure the Secretariat from the assailant.
“While stationed at the Local Government Lodge (LGL), 2 corpses of women were brought to the Lodge by the people of the community and alleged that they were killed by own troops.
“Without equivocation, the casualties were caused by the unprofessional handling of automatic weapons by the local militias who are not proficiently trained to handle such automatic weapons.” Abidoye said.
The Brigade however sympathised with the family of the slain women.
It urged the warring communities to embrace peace to avoid unnecessary loss of lives and destruction of properties.