The Nigerian Army has strongly denied allegations that its troops carried out extrajudicial killings during a violent communal clash in Lamurde Local Government Area of Adamawa State on Sunday, 8 December 2025.
In a statement issued Monday evening, the Army described reports claiming soldiers deliberately shot and killed nine women as “false, mischievous and capable of inciting unrest.”
It insisted that the two women confirmed killed died from stray bullets fired by untrained local vigilantes, not from military personnel.
“The two women who lost their lives were unfortunately hit by stray bullets from the untrained local vigilantes who were recklessly discharging firearms,” the Army said.
The incident occurred amid renewed fighting between the Bachama and Chobo communities over a longstanding land dispute.
Residents and some local media outlets, including Sahara Reporters, had accused soldiers deployed to restore order of opening fire on unarmed women, claiming at least nine were killed and 51 others injured.
Eyewitnesses quoted by community leaders alleged that troops fired indiscriminately when women attempted to intervene and stop the destruction of property.
The Army rejected the claims, stating its personnel acted professionally and only fired warning shots into the air to disperse the warring groups.
Adamawa State Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri had imposed a 24-hour curfew on Lamurde on Sunday after the violence escalated.
Military reinforcements remain on the ground to enforce the curfew and prevent further clashes.
Rights groups and opposition figures have called for an independent investigation into the incident, citing a pattern of disputed military conduct during internal security operations in northern Nigeria.
READ ALSO: Terrorists Abduct 16 Villagers in Kano, Kill One, Release Two After Paid Ransom
As of Tuesday morning, calm has reportedly returned to the area, though tension between the two communities remains high.
The exact death toll and circumstances surrounding the women’s deaths are yet to be independently verified.
Follow the Parallel Facts channel on WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaCQSAoHgZWiDjR3Kn2E
