Headquarters 23 Brigade of the Nigerian Army has dismissed as false a media report alleging that its Commander’s escorts opened fire on women during a communal clash in Lamurde Local Government Area of Adamawa State.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, 9 December 2025, and signed by Captain Olusegun Abidoye, Acting Assistant Director, Army Public Relations, Sector 4 Operation Hadin Kai / 23 Brigade, the Brigade described the publication by Sahara Reporters and some other online platforms as “baseless” and a deliberate attempt to tarnish the image of the Brigade, its Commander and, by extension, the Nigerian Army.
The Brigade stressed that at the time the alleged shooting was said to have occurred, the Brigade Commander was not on the ground in Lamurde. According to the statement, he was participating virtually in the Chief of Army Staff’s weekly operational briefing.
How the Clash Started
The Army explained that its troops, alongside operatives of the Nigeria Police Force, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and the Department of State Services (DSS), were deployed after receiving a distress alert at about 1:35am on Monday, 8 December 2025.
The alert reported renewed fighting between the Bachama and Chobo communities in Lamurde LGA, a conflict the Army linked to a long-running land dispute and ethnic tensions. Troops were said to have moved swiftly to affected locations, including Tingno, Rigange, Tito, Waduku and Lamurde, to contain the violence and restore order.
Armed Militia Confrontation
During the operation, the Army said its men came under attack from an armed militia believed to be aligned with one of the warring communities. The troops, described as “professional and combat ready,” reportedly returned fire.
“In the exchange of gunfire, three of the armed men were neutralised while the others fled,” the statement noted, adding that the intervention helped to bring the situation under control.
Security forces later followed the suspected withdrawal route of the fleeing fighters and, according to the Army, discovered five more dead gunmen and a motorcycle.
Women Block Road as Tension Spreads
The Brigade further revealed that troops received another distress call indicating that one of the rival groups had mobilised to attack the Lamurde Local Government Secretariat.
On their way to secure the facility, soldiers encountered a group of women who blocked the road in an attempt to prevent them from moving towards the Secretariat. At the same time, the Army said, armed men believed to be from the opposing side fired shots indiscriminately within the community.
Despite this, the statement explained, troops managed to carve out a passage through the obstruction and proceeded to the Secretariat to prevent it from being overrun. The military insisted that at this point no woman was shot or injured by soldiers, arguing that they would otherwise not have been able to pass through the crowd.
Army Rejects Blame for Women’s Deaths
The controversy deepened, according to the Army, when two corpses of women were later brought to the Local Government Lodge by members of the community, who claimed that soldiers were responsible for the killings.
The Brigade, however, categorically rejected the allegation. It attributed the deaths to what it called the “unprofessional handling of automatic weapons” by local militias involved in the clash, insisting that the deceased women were not shot by troops.
“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 automatic weapons,” the statement said.
Call for Calm and Peace
Despite disputing the claims, the Brigade extended its condolences to the families of the deceased women and appealed to both Bachama and Chobo communities to sheathe their swords and embrace peaceful dialogue to avoid further bloodshed and destruction of property.
Reaffirming its stance, Headquarters 23 Brigade said it remains committed to its constitutional role of supporting civil authorities to maintain law and order. It also assured residents of its area of responsibility that troops would continue to act with caution and professionalism in all operations.
The Brigade urged the public to disregard the online report, describing it as malicious and misleading.
