The Headquarters of the Twenty Three Brigade of the Nigerian Army has firmly rejected allegations that its personnel were responsible for the deaths of two women during the recent violent clashes in Lamurde Local Government Area of Adamawa State. The military authorities stated that the women lost their lives because of improper weapon handling by a militia group involved in the crisis.
Okay News reports that the clarification was issued after online claims suggested that soldiers escorting the Brigade Commander of the Twenty Three Brigade in Yola had opened fire on women during the confrontation on Monday.
In a detailed statement shared on its official X account on Tuesday, the Acting Assistant Director of Army Public Relations for Sector Four of Operation Hadin Kai and Twenty Three Brigade, Captain Olusegun Abidoye, dismissed the reports as “baseless and misleading.” He emphasised that “neither the Brigade Commander nor his escorts were at the scene of the communal clash.”
According to him, the Brigade Commander was attending the Chief of Army Staff’s weekly operational briefing virtually at the time the alleged incident took place.
The Army explained that the crisis involved long-term tensions between the Bachama and Chobo ethnic groups, triggered by a history of unresolved land disputes that escalated into violence. Security forces consisting of the Nigerian Army, the Nigerian Police Force, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, and the Department of State Services were deployed to communities such as Tingno, Rigange, Tito, Waduku and Lamurde to restore peace.
Reiterating its stance, the Brigade stated again, “It is necessary to inform the general public that neither the Brigade Commander nor his escorts were 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.”
The statement noted that troops received distress alerts at around 1.35 am on Monday and hurried to stabilise the area. During the intervention, armed militia members allegedly launched an attack on the troops. In response, soldiers were said to have neutralised three gunmen, while several others were later discovered along an escape path with a motorcycle.
The Army also explained that troops moved to secure the Lamurde Local Government Secretariat after receiving intelligence about a possible attack. Although some women initially attempted to block the road, unidentified armed men reportedly began firing without control.
According to the Brigade, its personnel did not shoot any civilians, adding that the two deceased women brought to the Local Government Lodge died due to “the unprofessional handling of weapons by the militias.”
The Army extended condolences to the families affected by the tragedy and urged residents to embrace peace to prevent more unrest. It reaffirmed its commitment to its constitutional mandate to support civil authorities and asked the public to dismiss what it described as a “malicious report.”
The unrest had earlier prompted the State Governor, Ahmadu Fintiri, to impose a twenty four hour curfew across Lamurde Local Government Area to contain the escalating conflict.
Meanwhile, the Bwatiye Youth Wing, representing the Bachama ethnic group, criticised what it called the unacceptable actions of some army personnel deployed to maintain order. In a statement signed by its General Secretary, Abner Kwakano, the group accused the soldiers of excessive force.
The group reminded the public that “the Tsobo (Pire) launched their first coordinated attacks on Waduku and Rigange on July 7, 2025, leading to loss of lives, destruction of homes, and the burning of villages.”
It added that negotiations facilitated by the Adamawa State Government had been in progress before this new incident. However, the group alleged that soldiers “opened fire on unarmed women protesting in Lamurde town,” claiming that the confrontation resulted in the death of several women and injuries to others.
The youth wing described the incident as unjustifiable and expressed concerns about possible bias by those involved. “While we acknowledge and respect the Nigerian Army as an institution, the actions of those involved raise legitimate concerns about bias, excessive force, and a departure from peacekeeping standards,” the statement said.
