Seven Women Killed as Soldiers Escorting Brigade Commander Open Fire on Protesters in Adamawa

A disturbing incident in Adamawa State has stirred widespread outrage after Nigerian soldiers escorting the Brigade Commander of the 23 Brigade, Yola, reportedly opened fire on a group of women protesting in Lamurde Local Government Area. The shooting, which occurred on Monday afternoon at Rigange Junction, resulted in the deaths of at least seven women and left several others with severe gunshot injuries.

According to sources within the community, the soldiers were accompanying Brigade Commander Amechi Agwu when they encountered a gathering of women who had mobilized to express frustration over what they considered the delayed response of security forces to earlier attacks by suspected militia groups. The protesters, made up largely of mothers and community leaders, had assembled to demand accountability and protection following coordinated assaults earlier in the day on various villages in the Lamurde area by individuals believed to be from a militia group speaking the Chobo language.

Eyewitnesses told reporters that tensions escalated rapidly. A respected community elder, visibly shaken as he recounted the events, revealed that twelve women were shot, with seven dying instantly at the scene. “Five others are currently battling for their lives at Numan General Hospital,” he said, describing a chaotic atmosphere in the minutes following the gunfire. According to him and several other locals, the protest was peaceful until the arrival of the military escort, whose response they described as “extreme and unprovoked.”

The women had reportedly gathered to express anger over the perceived inaction of security agencies. Multiple community sources alleged that despite repeated distress calls during the earlier militia attack, security forces only arrived long after the attackers had left. This delay, they claimed, allowed the assailants to kill, injure, and destroy property unchallenged.

“The community has suffered one attack too many,” a resident said. “These women came out because they are tired of burying their children and husbands. They wanted answers about why help arrives only after the damage is done. Instead, they ended up being victims themselves.”

The Nigerian Army’s initial reaction to the incident has drawn criticism. The Army spokesperson, Lt. Col. Apollonia Anele, did not respond to phone calls, and a text message seeking official comments remains unanswered as of the time of this report. No statement has yet been issued by the military addressing the allegation that soldiers opened fire on unarmed protesters, nor have they offered clarity on the circumstances that led to the confrontation.

Residents argue that the military’s use of force against civilians—particularly women engaged in protest—further erodes public trust in security institutions at a time when cooperation between citizens and security agencies is crucial for combating terrorism, banditry, and communal violence. The repeated pattern of military involvement in violent encounters with unarmed groups across different regions of the country has already generated concerns among human rights bodies.

As tension mounts in Lamurde and surrounding communities, calls are growing for a transparent investigation into the shooting. Civil society organizations and local leaders are demanding accountability and insisting that deadly force against protesters must not go unaddressed. Families of the victims are also calling for justice, mourning what they describe as an avoidable tragedy inflicted on women whose primary demand was safety and timely protection.

Authorities have yet to announce whether a formal inquiry will be launched. For now, Lamurde remains in grief and disbelief as residents grapple with the shock of losing women who had dared to raise their voices in search of security—only to be met with bullets instead of answers.