Army Clarifies Role in Adamawa Communal Clash, Denies Shooting of Protesters
The 23 Brigade of the Nigerian Army has dismissed media reports alleging that soldiers attached to its Brigade Commander opened fire on women protesters during a communal crisis in Adamawa State. The Army described the reports, which appeared on Sahara Reporters and other online platforms on Monday, 8 December 2025, as false, misleading, and intended to malign its personnel.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, Acting Assistant Director Army Public Relations, Captain Olusegun Abidoye, stated that neither the Brigade Commander nor his escorts were present at the scene of the unrest at the time of the alleged incident, as the Commander was participating virtually in the Chief of Army Staff’s weekly operational briefing.
According to the Army, the unrest erupted around 1:30 a.m. following renewed clashes between the Bachama and Chobo communities over unresolved land disputes and longstanding ethnic tensions. Security forces comprising troops of the 23 Brigade Garrison, operatives of the Nigeria Police, NSCDC, and DSS were deployed to communities including Tingno, Rigange, Tito, Waduku, and Lamurde to restore order.
Read Also:
The military disclosed that during the operation, suspected militia fighters linked to one of the warring groups opened fire on troops, prompting a firefight that led to the neutralization of three armed men, while others fled. Subsequent clearance operations led to the discovery of five more dead militia members and a motorcycle believed to belong to the assailants.
The statement also noted that upon receiving intelligence of a planned attack on the Lamurde Local Government Secretariat, troops moved to secure the location but were obstructed by a group of women. Meanwhile, suspected militia elements reportedly fired indiscriminately within the community. The Army said soldiers carefully created a safe passage through the crowd without harming any civilians.
While stationed at the Local Government Lodge, two corpses of women were brought forward by the community, with claims they were killed by soldiers. However, the Brigade disputed the allegation, stating that the deaths were caused by stray bullets resulting from the “unprofessional handling of automatic weapons by local militias.”
The Army extended condolences to the bereaved families and appealed to both communities to embrace peace to avoid further loss of life and destruction.
“The Brigade remains committed to performing its constitutional duties in aid of civil authorities and will maintain due diligence in all operations to ensure peace and stability in its area of responsibility,” the statement concluded, urging the public to disregard what it termed a malicious report.
