December 09, (THEWILL) — The Nigerian Army has debunked reports alleging that soldiers under the 23 Brigade shot women during the violent communal clashes in Lamurde Local Government Area of Adamawa State.
In a statement on Tuesday, the Acting Assistant Director, Army Public Relations, Captain Olusegun Abidoye, described the reports published by Sahara Reporters and other online platforms as “baseless, unfounded and misleading,” insisting they were deliberate attempts to malign the Brigade, its Commander, and the Nigerian Army.
Abidoye noted that contrary to claims in circulation, the Brigade Commander and his escorts were nowhere near the scene of the incident.
“The Commander was attending the Chief of Army Staff’s weekly operational briefing virtually at the time,” he added.
According to the statement, troops from the 23 Brigade Garrison, alongside personnel of the Nigeria Police Force, NSCDC, and DSS, were deployed around 1:30 a.m. on Monday to quell clashes between the Bachama and Chobo communities. The violence, linked to lingering land disputes and ethnic tensions, spread across Tingno, Rigange, Tito, Waduku, and Lamurde.
During the operation, a militia group ambushed the troops. Soldiers engaged the attackers, neutralizing three militia members while others fled. Subsequent patrols along their escape routes uncovered five additional bodies and a motorcycle believed to belong to the fleeing attackers.
The Army also explained that while securing the Lamurde Local Government Secretariat, some women attempted to block troop movement, while armed elements suspected to be aligned with the Bachama community fired indiscriminately.
Despite the obstruction, the troops reportedly created a safe passage without harming any woman.
Later, two women were brought to the Local Government Lodge with claims that they had been shot by soldiers. The Brigade dismissed the allegation, stating that the injuries resulted from the “unprofessional handling of automatic weapons” by local militias.
Expressing condolences to the affected families, the 23 Brigade appealed to the feuding communities to embrace peace and avoid further violence.
Reaffirming its support for civil authorities, the Army urged the public to disregard the false reports, adding that it remains committed to professional conduct and ensuring peace and stability within its area of responsibility.
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