Seven women were shot dead and 11 others wounded on Monday when Nigerian troops allegedly opened fire on a group of female protesters in Lamurde Local Government Area of Adamawa State.
The women, mostly from the Bachama ethnic group, had taken to the streets carrying green leaves, a traditional symbol of peaceful protest to demand faster military intervention in the escalating communal crisis between Bachama and Chobo communities.
Eyewitnesses and local leaders said the protesters blocked a military convoy, accusing security forces of delayed response and alleged bias in favour of the Chobo community.
“They came out peacefully, carrying leaves, begging for security. Instead, they were met with live gunfire,” Chief Agoso Bamaiyi, District Head of Gyawana, told reporters.
Four women died instantly at the scene, while three others succumbed to their injuries at Numan General Hospital.
The 11 injured protesters are receiving treatment, with several in critical condition.The incident occurred barely 24 hours after fresh clashes erupted over an alleged motorcycle theft, shattering a fragile peace agreement recently brokered by Governor Ahmadu Fintiri between the warring communities.
In response, Governor Fintiri immediately imposed a 24-hour curfew across Lamurde LGA and ordered massive deployment of security forces.
“The Adamawa State Government has imposed a 24-hour curfew... with immediate effect following a renewed communal clash,” a statement from the government read.
The Police Public Relations Officer, SP Suleiman Nguroje, confirmed loss of lives and deployment of additional tactical units, urging residents to remain indoors.
The Defence Headquarters had not issued an official statement as of press time.
Background of the Conflict
The latest violence is the third major outbreak in Lamurde this year alone, rooted in long-standing disputes over farmland boundaries and riverbank access between the Bachama and Chobo communities.
Previous attacks in July 2025 saw Chobo youths allegedly burn Bachama villages, displacing hundreds. Despite government-imposed curfews and peace meetings, mutual distrust and the emergence of armed community militias have made the area a recurring flashpoint.
Local leaders warn that the shift from traditional mediation to armed self-defence has turned routine land disagreements into deadly cycles of retaliation, with women and children increasingly caught in the crossfire.
Authorities have appealed for calm as security agencies move to restore order and investigate Monday’s fatal shooting of unarmed protesters.
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