The Headquarters 23 Brigade of the Nigerian Army has dismissed reports alleging that its personnel shot civilians during a communal clash in Lamurde Local Government Area of Adamawa State on Monday, 8 December 2025.
In a statement posted on its X handle on Tuesday, Acting Assistant Director, Army Public Relations, Sector 4 Operation Hadin Kai / 23 Brigade, Captain Olusegun Abidoye, described the claims as “baseless and misleading,” insisting that neither the Brigade Commander nor his escorts were present at the scene of the reported shooting.
“The commander was participating virtually in the Chief of Army Staff’s weekly operational brief at the time of the alleged incident,” the statement said.
The Army explained that combined security forces — including troops of 23 Brigade, the Nigerian Police Force, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), and the Department of State Services (DSS) — had responded to violent clashes between the Bachama and Chobo communities. The crisis, it said, was triggered by longstanding land disputes and ethnic tensions.
“Headquarters 23 Brigade wishes to set the record straight that combined troops of 23 Brigade Garrison, Nigerian Police Force, NSCDC, and DSS received information about the communal clashes… at about 0135 hours on Monday,” the statement read. “Troops moved swiftly to the affected communities to restore normalcy to Tingno, Rigange, Tito, Waduku, and Lamurde.”
During the operation, the Army said its personnel came under attack from a militia group allegedly backing one of the warring factions. Soldiers responded, “neutralising three gunmen,” while more bodies believed to be members of the same militia were later discovered along their withdrawal route, along with a motorcycle.
The Brigade further clarified accounts surrounding the deaths of two women, insisting that its personnel were not responsible for the fatalities. “The two women later brought to the Local Government Lodge were reportedly killed due to the unprofessional handling of weapons by the militias,” it stated.
It added that when troops moved to prevent a suspected attack on the Lamurde Local Government Secretariat, some women initially blocked their movement, while armed men fired sporadically.
The Army expressed condolences to the affected families and appealed for calm. It urged the Bachama and Chobo communities to embrace peace and avoid further bloodshed.
Reaffirming its commitment to constitutional duties, the 23 Brigade called on the public to disregard what it described as a “malicious report.”
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