They went to the streets carrying the weight of their families’ fears – insecurity. Yes, mothers pleading for the safety of their husbands, sons, and daughters. Instead of being heard, they were allegedly met with lethal force, turning a peaceful protest into a tragedy that has left communities reeling as seven women were cut down, their voices silenced forever, just for demanding protection from violence that had long haunted their community, HUSSAINI HAMMANGABDO writes.
Mothers and caregivers, already burdened by fear for their families, took to the streets demanding swift action to protect their spouses, sons, and daughters from escalating violence and insecurity in their land. Sadly, what should have been a call for help turned into a scene of unimaginable tragedy.
The clash between the Bachama and Chobo communities in Adamawa state reignited longstanding tensions, and the slow response of security forces only fueled frustration among residents. The incident underscored a grim reality that when authorities fail to act decisively, ordinary citizens, especially women , who attempts standing up for their families bear the heaviest cost
It is no longer news that in Numan local government area of Adamawa State, the women protested the military’s slow response to renewed clashes between the Bachama and Chobo communities. Their march was a desperate plea for swift action, a fight to protect lives. But instead of safety, they were met with deadly force, leaving families shattered and communities in shock.
Today, the Lamurde crisis highlights the human toll of insecurity, where delays in action can cost lives. For these mothers, standing up for their loved ones became a fatal act, a haunting reminder of the risks ordinary citizens face when violence goes unchecked.
While early reports suggested that at least 11 people were killed, scores more were receiving treatment at Yola Specialist Hospital and Numan General Hospital following the deadly crackdown on concerned citizens—mothers of the nation, from whose wombs both the attackers and the warriors were born.
The women had barricaded the Numan-Yola, Numan-Gombe, and Numan-Jalingo roads, carrying leaves and placards, chanting songs and demanding swift military intervention when they were allegedly gunned down.
Shockingly, these were women, not men. They were mothers, daughters, sisters, raising their voices for safety. Their screams, their wails, the desperation etched on their faces, were ignored as their destinies were cut short. The nation is left to ask; why? What crime did these mothers commit in pleading for protection? What offense justified such brutality against the very lifeblood of their communities?
As residents of Lamurde continue to grapple with pain, fear, and the loss of loved ones from both ethnic groups involved in the violence, survivors are receiving medical care and clinging to the hope of returning to normal life. Yet even those who survived are far better off than the many who lost their lives in the clashes, which reportedly claimed numerous lives.
For others, survival has brought little comfort. Thousands have been left homeless after members of the warring communities went on a destructive rampage, burning the homes of those they once lived alongside for decades. Neighbours who shared meals, markets, and festivals suddenly found themselves divided by fire, fear, and hatred, their lives upended in an instant.
With their homes reduced to ashes, many families in the affected Lamurde communities are now seeking shelter in displacement camps or with relatives, near and far.
The underlying cause of the violent clash last Sunday is widely believed to be a long-standing dispute over land. Both communities acknowledge a bitter disagreement over ownership and entitlement, a conflict that has now erupted into devastating violence.
The two communities, however, sharply disagree over what immediately triggered the latest violence, one of the key controversies surrounding the unrest in Lamurde.
Earlier in the week, the Yola branch of the Tsobo Community Development Association held a media briefing to present the Tsobo perspective. Speaking through the association’s chairman, Nathaniel Solomon, they accused Bachama youths of launching the first attack, claiming that the Bachama rose in arms after Tsobo farmers refused to vacate land that the Bachama were laying claim to.
In contrast, a Bachama group had previously told the press that the Tsobo people issued an ultimatum demanding the return of a motorcycle allegedly stolen from a Tsobo man. According to their account, when the ultimatum expired, Tsobo youths attacked a Bachama community.
The Tsobo Association’s briefing painted their community as the aggrieved party, portraying the Bachama as aggressors while simultaneously framing themselves as the victims of the latest conflict.
The Tsobo ethnic group alleged that there was a deliberate plan to eliminate them and called on Governor Ahmadu Fintiri and federal authorities for protection.
During the same media briefing at the NUJ Press Centre in Yola, the Tsobo group made another allegation that added fuel to a controversy previously raised by the Bachama side. They claimed that, following the December 7 clash between the two communities, seven Bachama women, protesting the delayed arrival of security personnel were allegedly killed by soldiers deployed to quell the violence.
The allegation, which quickly went viral on social and traditional media, prompted a military response. The armed forces issued a rebuttal, insisting that if any killings had occurred, they must have been carried out by one of the warring militia groups, not the soldiers sent to restore order.
The controversy over the deaths of the seven women remained unresolved when the Tsobo Community Development Association held a media briefing in Yola on the afternoon of Monday, December 15. During the session, the group alleged that three of their youths had also been killed, reportedly due to mishandling of the crisis by the military.
Reading the group’s appeal to authorities, Tsobo leader Nathaniel Solomon urged Governor Ahmadu Fintiri to “stop the actions of the elite who are fueling hostility and protect the Tsobo people from what is clearly an attempt to wipe us out.”
Addressing the federal government, Solomon added, “We request the deployment of security personnel who are neutral and firm enough to prevent powerful individuals from overriding the law.”
During a briefing with newsmen in Yola on December 12, a group representing the Bachama ethnic group, the executive council of the Pene Da Bwatiye Development Association (PDBDA) Worldwide accused the Tsobo group of “consistently choosing the path of disrespect and violent conflict over dialogue.”
The PDBDA also addressed the military’s role, stating that their women were merely protesting the late arrival of security operatives when Bachama communities in Tingno and Waduku were allegedly attacked by Tsobo youths, and that the women were fired upon by soldiers from the 23 Brigade in Yola.
A community leader, Mr. Humwapwa Naguso alleged that protesters were shot by personnel of the Nigerian military deployed to the area.
Naguso described the alleged killings as deeply painful and completely unacceptable.
His words, “We lost innocent women. That women were shot dead by the very soldiers deployed to protect us is heartbreaking and unfortunate.
Other eyewitnesses, Wisdom Christopher and Mbwaleshowe Samson, also spoke out, insisting that justice must be served and that those responsible should be held accountable under the law.
“The military allegedly opened fire on our women, leading to the death of nine women, while others were seriously wounded,” they said.
They appealed to the government to urgently intervene.
“We pray that the government will look into our plight and ensure justice is done.”
Meanwhile, Pwale Kineth, one of the victims, is currently responding to treatment at the Specialist Hospital.
If you want, I can also make it sound more formal, more emotional, or news-report style.
In response, the acting assistant director of Army public relations for Sector 4, Operation Hadin Kai/23 Brigade, Captain Olusegun Abidoye, said that troops had engaged militants “professionally,” neutralised three gunmen, and restored order.
The military spokesman stated that the women who were protesting were killed by militia fire, resulting from the “unprofessional handling of automatic weapons.”
In a show of empathy for the victims and the broader community, Inspector General of Police, IGP Kayode Egbetokun, addressed the people of Adamawa State, highlighting the needless pain inflicted by the clashes.
“My deepest condolences go to the families who have lost loved ones, and to all who have suffered injuries and witnessed the senseless destruction of homes and livelihoods losses we cannot easily quantify,” the IGP said.
“This tragedy is even more poignant because it is inflicted by neighbours who have lived side-by-side for generations, sharing so much, including intermarriages. A loss or pain to any side inevitably affects the opposing side.”
“We are aware that the primary trigger is the long-standing dispute over farmland ownership and access to natural resources. While land may be the point of contention, the real tragedy lies in the breakdown of trust and inter-communal relations. What value is a parcel of land if the community that tills it is destroyed?”
Committing to sustained efforts to maintain law and order, the police chief emphasised that security forces alone cannot resolve the crisis. “The solution lies in the hands and hearts of the people. I call on all community, religious, and traditional leaders, especially the elders and the youths, who are the drivers of change and vanguards of either peace or violence, to actively and sincerely engage in impartial dialogue and reconciliation efforts to address the root causes. He said.”
He further urged the people of Lamurde: “The state, and indeed the country, look up to you, the youths, as builders or destroyers of your communities. I implore the good people of Lamurde to immediately eschew animosity and embrace understanding and partnership. Violence is a temporary, destructive outburst; dialogue and collaboration are the permanent, constructive paths to lasting peace and development.”
In her response to the Lamurde crisis, the president of the National Council of Women Societies (NCWS) in Nigeria, Princess Edna Dunama Azura, expressed deep concern over the alleged killing of women, stressing that even in conventional war, women and children are protected.
“I am not saying men should be killed. Nobody should die if it can be avoided,” she said, urging the government to ensure justice for the slain women. Princess Edna called on both the Tsobo and Bachama communities , who share intermarriages, a common cultural heritage, and decades of peaceful coexistence, to embrace reconciliation and peace. She also expressed confidence that the judicial panel of inquiry promised by the government would help find solutions to the crisis.
Adamawa State deputy Governor, Professor Kaletapwa Farauta, faced a challenging situation when the Lamurde violence erupted on December 7, particularly because Governor Ahmadu Fintiri was out of the country. One of her first decisive actions was to declare a 24-hour curfew across Lamurde LGA. Following a security meeting at the Government House in Yola within a week of the incident, she assured the public that the government was actively investigating the circumstances surrounding the deaths of the protesting women. Farauta emphasised that the matter had not been swept under the carpet, urging patience as the truth was expected to emerge.
Upon his return to Yola earlier this week, Governor Ahmadu Fintiri toured the communities affected by the Lamurde crisis and pledged justice for the families of those allegedly killed by security agents. Visiting Lamurde on Tuesday, December 16, with senior government officials, the governor announced plans to establish a judicial panel of inquiry to investigate the December 7 shootings and other issues arising from the violence.
The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), through its Executive Secretary Tony Ojukwu, has condemned the alleged killing of unarmed, peaceful protesting women in Lamurde, calling for an independent and transparent investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident.
Ojukwu warned that such actions constitute a grave violation of human rights, which he described as fundamental and inalienable for every Nigerian. He urged the Federal and State Governments to commit to respecting and protecting citizens’ rights to peaceful protest, immediately review security-sector protocols to prevent excessive use of force, and ensure that measures for reparation and psychosocial support are provided to survivors and the families of victims.
“The National Human Rights Commission expresses its profound shock and deep sorrow over the tragic killing of protesting women in Lamurde Local Government Area, Adamawa State,” Ojukwu said. “The pattern of violence against peaceful protesters undermines the NHRC’s protective mandate, which exists to uphold these very rights under its enabling legislation.”
In response to the crisis, the Adamawa State deputy Governor, Professor Kaletapwa Farauta, approved the distribution of food and non-food items to victims of the Lamurde communal clash. Preliminary reports from the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) indicate significant property destruction and loss of lives, with many residents displaced. The Gamadio Primary School has been converted into an IDP camp, currently housing 3,152 displaced persons: 572 men, 906 women, 1,645 children, and 29 elderly individuals. Reports also confirm 51 injured and 7 deaths.
For humanitarian support, deputy Governor Farauta, accompanied by the NEMA head of operations and the Permanent Secretary of the Adamawa State Emergency Management Agency (ADSEMA), visited Yola Specialist Hospital to assess the condition of some affected persons who were referred from General Hospital, Numan, for further medical attention.
The situation in Lamurde remains calm for now, with security beefed up in the affected communities and a 24-hour curfew in place. As the Chobo and Bachama factions continue to trade blame over the crisis, public expectation is high for the yet-to-be-inaugurated Judicial Commission of Inquiry. Its findings and recommendations are anticipated to provide a pathway toward resolving the lingering conflict amicably.
