Fresh protests erupted in Numan LGA of Adamawa State on Tuesday over allegations that Nigerian Army personnel killed women during operations to restore order in nearby Lamurde LGA.

The unrest followed communal clashes between the Bachama and Chobo communities on Monday.

Reports say that seven to ten women died and 11 others were injured during a protest in Lamurde, where demonstrators accused the military of delayed response in calming tension between the two communities.

The women, seen holding leaves, blocked troop movements into the area, alleging biased intervention favouring the Chobo community.

During the confrontation, sources said the military allegedly fired into the crowd, killing four women on the spot, while three others later died in hospital.

Several injured victims are receiving treatment at the Numan General Hospital and casualty figures are expected to rise as more information emerges.

While the protesters insisted the army was responsible, the Nigerian Army said the fatalities resulted from untrained local militias mishandling firearms.

In response, the Adamawa State Government imposed a 24-hour curfew in Lamurde, deploying security operatives to enforce compliance.

Large groups of women, dressed in black, marched through key Numan routes, disrupting traffic and demanding justice for the victims.

The remains of some of the women were brought to Lamurde for burial.

Protesters, including Humwapwa Nanso, Bwalason Samson and Wisdom Christopher, accused security forces of delayed response, allowing the violence to escalate.

Nanso said, “Our women were killed by uniformed personnel, leaving us with grief in our hearts. As women, we call on the government to protect our rights, because, according to the Nigerian Constitution, we all have the right to life.”

Samson added, “Those who shot this bullet I am holding stopped the car, stopped the truck, and I have never seen military personnel go down on their knees, aim at unarmed women at close range, and fire bullets so rapidly. Over 20 people were shot on the spot, and five were lying dead. No one had any weapons; we were simply holding leaves.”

We only killed armed militias, not women protesters – Army

The Nigerian Army has rejected claims that its troops attached to the 23 Brigade in Yola killed women protesters while restoring order during a communal crisis.

The force described the allegation as “false and baseless”.

Acting Assistant Director, Army Public Relations, Sector 4, Operation Hadin Kai/23 Brigade, Captain Olusegun Abidoye, said in a statement that troops were attacked by an armed militia group suspected to be involved in the communal clashes.

The troops, he said, engaged the militants professionally, neutralising three gunmen in the process.

“The engagement forced other militia members to flee, and the troops successfully put the clashes under control,” Captain Abidoye said.

He added that the militia had been on the verge of burning down the local government secretariat before being stopped.

The army further reported that five additional armed militia members were found along a withdrawal route, one of them with a motorcycle.

Captain Abidoye clarified that two women who died were killed by the militia themselves due to unprofessional handling of automatic weapons; not by the troops.

“Without equivocation, the casualties were caused by the untrained local militias,” the statement read in part.

The army said its personnel acted in line with professional and combat-ready standards to restore peace and prevent further destruction.

Reps member wants killings probed

Kwamoti B. Laori, the Member of the House of Representatives representing Demsa/Numan/Lamurde Federal Constituency, has condemned the ongoing violent conflicts in Lamurde Local Government Area, which have resulted in loss of lives, property destruction and heightened community tensions.

In a statement, Laori described the reported killing of unarmed women protesters as “distressing, heartbreaking and utterly unacceptable”, calling it a gross violation of human rights.

He drew parallels to past incidents in Dong, Kodomti, Lawaru, Nzuruwe and Shaforon communities in 2017, where civilians suffered abuses without credible investigations or accountability.

Laori demanded an immediate, transparent and independent investigation into the killings, stressing that those responsible must be held accountable under Nigerian law.

He extended condolences to the families of the deceased and prayed for the speedy recovery of the injured.

He also urged residents to remain calm and avoid actions that could escalate tensions, while calling on security agencies to exercise restraint, uphold professionalism and adhere strictly to rules of engagement.

Laori emphasised that restoring peace and ensuring justice required collaboration among community leaders, government, security agencies and residents, adding that “justice must not only be done, but it must also be seen to be done.” (Largely based on a Daily Trust report)

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