Adamawa Erupts: Outrage As Women Die In Clash With Soldiers
By HALIMA TAKWAS
TENSION escalated across Adamawa State on Tuesday as residents of Numan LGA staged a mass protest over the alleged killing of women by soldiers deployed to quell communal clashes in neighbouring Lamurde. The unrest followed renewed violence between the Bachama and Chobo communities, which flared on Monday.
Local sources reported that between seven and ten women died and at least 11 others sustained gunshot injuries when military personnel allegedly opened fire during a demonstration in Lamurde. The women, who carried leaves to signal peaceful intent, were said to have blocked the movement of troops they accused of favouring the Chobo faction.
Witnesses claimed four women died instantly and several others later succumbed to their wounds in hospital. The death toll may rise as more injured victims receive treatment at Numan General Hospital.
But the Nigerian Army has strongly rejected the allegations. In a statement, Captain Olusegun Abidoye, spokesperson for the 23 Brigade, insisted the fatalities were caused by “untrained militia elements” mishandling automatic weapons during confrontations with troops. He said soldiers neutralised three armed men while preventing the burning of a local government secretariat.
The contradictory accounts angered communities, prompting hundreds of women dressed in black to march through Numan demanding accountability. Some of the victims’ bodies were returned to Lamurde for burial, deepening tensions.
Lawmakers have also weighed in. Kwamoti B. Laori, representing Demsa/Numan/Lamurde Federal Constituency, condemned the killings as “heartbreaking and unacceptable,” calling for a transparent, independent probe. He drew parallels to past uninvestigated military-civilian clashes in 2017 and insisted that justice must be both done and seen to be done.
The state government has imposed a 24-hour curfew in Lamurde as security agencies attempt to stabilise the volatile area.
