The Nigerian Army has issued a firm denial of reports alleging that soldiers killed two women during a violent communal clash in Adamawa State on Monday. The rebuttal comes after an online media report claimed escorts of the 23 Brigade Commander opened fire on female protesters.
In a detailed press release on Tuesday, Captain Olusegun Abidoye, the Acting Assistant Director of Army Public Relations for the Brigade, labeled the initial report as “baseless,” “unfounded,” and a malicious attempt to tarnish the image of the military.
Commanders Alibi and Sequence of Events
The statement provided a point-by-point account of the incident in Lamurde Local Government Area, asserting that the Brigade Commander was not at the scene. He was reportedly participating in a virtual operational briefing with the Chief of Army Staff at the time of the alleged shooting.
According to the military, the crisis began in the early hours of Monday, December 8, following a distress call about a clash between the Bachama and Chobo communities over a longstanding land dispute. A joint security team, including troops from the 23 Brigade, police, NSCDC, and DSS, was deployed to several affected villages.
The army narrative states that troops were first attacked by an armed militia suspected to be from the Chobo community, leading to a firefight where three gunmen were “neutralized.” Five other militia corpses were later found.
Roadblock and Discovery of Bodies
A critical moment occurred when troops, responding to a threat against the Lamurde Local Government Secretariat, encountered a roadblock formed by women. The army claims that while armed men (suspected Bachama militia) fired indiscriminately nearby, troops “created a passage” and moved to secure the Secretariat without harming any civilians.
“At this point, no woman was shot or injured. Otherwise, troops would not have been allowed to find any passage through the crowd,” the statement read.
Later, while stationed at the Local Government Lodge, community members presented the corpses of two women to the soldiers, accusing the troops of their deaths.
Army’s Conclusion and Sympathy
The Brigade categorically rejected this accusation. “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,” the statement concluded.
Despite denying responsibility, the Brigade expressed deep sympathy for the families of the deceased and called on the warring communities to embrace peace. It reaffirmed its commitment to its constitutional duties in the region.
The public has been urged to disregard the earlier online report.
