By Obinna Uballa
The Nigerian Army has firmly dismissed claims circulating in some online media, including Sahara Reporters, alleging that soldiers attached to the Commander of 23 Brigade opened fire on women protesters during a communal crisis in Adamawa State.
In a strongly worded statement on Tuesday, the Acting Assistant Director, Army Public Relations for Sector 4 Operation Hadin Kai / 23 Brigade, Captain Olusegun Abidoye, described the report as “baseless, unfounded and entirely misleading,” insisting it was aimed at tarnishing the image of the Brigade and its leadership.
According to the Army, the Brigade Commander was not even present at the scene of the unrest at the time of the alleged shooting, as he was attending the Chief of Army Staff’s weekly operational briefing virtually.
The military clarified that its personnel, working alongside the police, Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and Department of State Services (DSS), received information about a communal clash between the Bachama and Chobo tribes of Lamurde Local Government at about 1:35am on Monday.
The violence, rooted in a long-standing land dispute, had spread to several communities including Tingno, Rigange, Tito, Waduku and Lamurde.
Troops deployed swiftly and reportedly came under fire from a militia group believed to be fighting for one of the warring sides. The Army said its personnel engaged the attackers, neutralising three gunmen and forcing others to flee. A further sweep of the withdrawal route led to the discovery of five more dead militia members and a motorcycle.
The statement explained that while troops moved to secure the Lamurde Local Government Secretariat after receiving intelligence that it was about to be attacked, some women blocked the road to prevent the soldiers from advancing.
At the same time, armed men from the Bachama side were allegedly shooting indiscriminately within the community.
Despite the chaos, the Army said its troops created a passage and continued towards the Secretariat without firing at the women.
“At no point was any woman shot or injured by troops,” the statement said, adding that if soldiers had opened fire, “there would have been no way to access a passage through the crowd.”
Women’s Deaths Blamed on Militias
The Brigade revealed that two corpses of women were later brought to the Local Government Lodge by locals, who accused the military of killing them.
However, the Army insisted the deaths resulted from the “unprofessional handling of automatic weapons by local militias,” not military fire.
The Brigade expressed sympathy to the families of the deceased women but urged the Bachama and Chobo communities to embrace peace to avoid further loss of lives.
Reaffirming its commitment to professionalism and civilian protection, the Army called on the public to disregard what it termed a “malicious report” aimed at inciting distrust.
“The Brigade remains resolute in carrying out its constitutional duties and will continue to ensure peace and stability in its area of responsibility,” the statement added.
