The Headquarters of the 23 Brigade, Nigerian Army, Yola, Adamawa State, has dismissed as baseless a report by Sahara Reporters and other online platforms alleging that troops were involved in the killing of protesters in Lamurde Local Government Area.
In a statement by the Army Public Relations Officer for Sector 4 Operation Hadin Kai, Captain Olusegun Abidoye, the Brigade described the allegations as unfounded, misleading, and aimed at smearing the image of the Nigerian Army and its commander.
According to the statement, neither the Brigade Commander nor his escorts were present at the scene of the communal clash, as the Commander was participating virtually in the Chief of Army Staff’s weekly operational briefing at the time of the alleged shooting.
The Army clarified that troops from the 23 Brigade Garrison, the Nigerian Police Force, NSCDC, and DSS responded to distress information about violent clashes between the Bachama and Chobo communities in Lamurde at about 1:35 a.m. on Monday, 8 December 2025.
The crisis, rooted in longstanding land disputes and ethnic tensions, prompted the deployment of troops to restore order in Tingno, Rigange, Tito, Waduku, and Lamurde communities.
During the operation, armed militia suspected to be aligned with the Chobo group ambushed the troops, resulting in a firefight.
The Army reported that three gunmen were neutralized, while five more were found dead along the militants’ withdrawal route, alongside a motorcycle.
Troops also stopped a planned attack on the Lamurde Local Government Secretariat after receiving intelligence on the plot.Upon approaching the Secretariat, the military encountered women blocking the road, while armed men believed to be of Bachama origin fired sporadically within the community.
Troops eventually cleared a path and secured the facility without harming any civilian.While stationed at the Local Government Lodge, two corpses of women were brought by community members, who alleged the victims were shot by soldiers.
The Brigade firmly refuted the claim, stating that the deaths resulted from unprofessional weapon handling by local militias, not from Army fire.The Army expressed sympathy to the bereaved families and urged both communities to embrace peace.
It emphasized its commitment to carrying out its constitutional responsibilities with professionalism and diligence.The 23 Brigade called on the public to disregard the “malicious and misleading” reports circulating online.