We Have No Hand In The Death Of Protesting Adamawa Women –  Nigerian Army

By Suleiman Anyalewechi

The Nigerian Army authorities have absolved its personnel of culpability in the death of protesting Adamawa state women.

The Source reports that reports in a section of the Media, particularly the social media space, had  accused some military officers attached to the convoy of the Commander of the 23 Brigade of gunning down no fewer than 12 women who were protesting the invasion of Lamurde Local Government by suspected Chobo-speaking militia from Gombe state on  Monday, December 8, 2025.

Some reports alleged that the military personnel fired indiscriminately at the women, with several others severely injured besides the dead.

“The unfortunate incident, according to some of the reports, worsened the already tensed situation occasioned by the alleged killings of several innocent people in the Bachama Communities of Adamawa state by the invading Chobo-speaking militia.

But in a statement issued by the Acting Director of Army Public Relations, Captain Olusegun Abidoye, the Army authorities dismissed the reports as a deliberate and orchestrated smear campaign against the Service.

According to the statement, it was the invading armed militia that were responsible for the killing of about seven women.

“The attention of the Headquarters of the 23 Brigade, Nigerian Army has been drawn to a baseless report by the Sahara Reporters and some other online media published on Monday, 8 December, 2025.

“The said reports levelled unfounded and false allegations against the Brigade and its Commander.

“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 weapons”, the Army stated.

The statement further noted that neither the Brigade Commander, nor his escorts were present at the scene of the communal clash between the Communities.

According to the Brigade Spokesperson, the Commander was participating virtually in the Chief of Army Staff’s Weekly operational briefing as at the time of the  unfortunate incident.

Abidoye informed  that the Brigade only  deployed troops to the area of conflict which he said was as a result of land dispute between Chobo and Bachama Communities.

“In the course of their peace keeping efforts, troops were however attacked by the Chobo-speaking militias”, the Army statement added.

“In the course of its operations, a militia armed group suspected of fighting for one of the the warring Communities – Chobo – attacked the troops.

“The troops, being a professional, adaptable, and combat-ready force decisively engaged the militia armed men in a fire fight.

“During the exchange 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 Army authorities noted .

Abidoye emphasized that the intervention of the Army was sequel to the receipt of a distress call indicating that some suspected armed men had mobilized to attack the Headquarters of Lamurde Local Government Area.