The Nigerian Army, which serves as the principal land warfare component of the Nigerian Armed Forces, has firmly denied allegations that its personnel opened fire on civilians during a violent communal confrontation in Lamurde Local Government Area of Adamawa State, located in North-East Nigeria, on Monday, 8 December 2025.
In a statement released through the official X account of the Headquarters 23 Brigade under Operation Hadin Kai, Acting Assistant Director of Army Public Relations, Captain Olusegun Abidoye, described circulating reports as “baseless and misleading,” stressing that neither the Brigade Commander nor his escorts were anywhere near the clash scene. Okay News reports.
According to Captain Abidoye, “The commander was participating virtually in the Chief of Army Staff’s weekly operational brief at the time of the alleged incident.”
Joint Security Forces Respond To Longstanding Tribal Dispute
The statement clarified that security forces comprising troops of the 23 Brigade Garrison, the Nigerian Police Force, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, and the Department of State Services responded to violent confrontations involving the Bachama and Chobo ethnic groups. These communities have a history of friction linked to unresolved land ownership disagreements and ethnic differences.
Security teams were deployed to several affected settlements, including Tingno, Rigange, Tito, Waduku, and Lamurde, in a bid to stabilise the area and halt escalating hostilities.
Captain Abidoye emphasised again: “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.”
Troops Engage Armed Militia, Clarify Circumstances Of Women’s Deaths
The Army disclosed that during the operation, soldiers were ambushed by a militia group suspected to be aligned with one of the disputing factions. In response, troops neutralised three armed attackers, with additional deceased suspects discovered later during a follow-up sweep, alongside a motorcycle used during their retreat.
When intelligence indicated a possible attack on the Lamurde Local Government Secretariat, troops advanced to secure the area. On arrival, some women from the community initially obstructed their movement, and armed individuals reportedly fired shots without restraint.
The Brigade insisted that its personnel did not fire on civilians, stressing that two women later brought to the Local Government Lodge were believed to have died due to “the unprofessional handling of weapons by the militias,” not soldiers.
Army Calls For Calm, Reaffirms Commitment To Civil Protection
The 23 Brigade extended sympathy to families of the deceased and urged both the Bachama and Chobo communities to embrace peace to avoid further bloodshed or destruction.
It reiterated that its operations remain guided by constitutional obligations to support civil authorities, especially during emergencies, urging the public to disregard any “malicious report” aimed at discrediting the Army.
