7 women feared dead as soldiers open fire on protesters in Adamawa community

Tension has escalated in Adamawa State after at least seven women were reportedly shot dead during a protest in Lamurde. The incident occurred on Monday afternoon at Rigange Junction, where soldiers escorting the Brigade Commander of the 23 Brigade, Yola  Brigadier General Amechi Agwu allegedly opened fire on demonstrators.

According to reports, the protesters had gathered to express their outrage after suspected Chobo-speaking militia launched attacks on several communities in Lamurde Local Government Area. The earlier violence had already left residents fearful and unsettled, prompting crowds to mobilise.

Witnesses say the situation took a tragic turn when the military convoy arrived at the protest scene, leading to the fatal shooting of the women.

The tragic incident has caused fresh outrage among residents, who say the violence has worsened an already volatile situation.

A respected community leader, struggling to hold back tears, told SaharaReporters that 12 women were shot, with seven dying instantly.

“Five others are battling for their lives at Numan General Hospital,” he said, his voice breaking as he recounted the chaos that followed the shooting.

According to multiple local sources, the women had gathered to protest what they described as the unforgivably late arrival of security forces, who, they said, only reached the affected villages hours after the attackers had finished their rampage and retreated unchallenged.

“The women were angry, frustrated, and tired of burying their own,” another source said. “They were demanding answers. Instead, what they got were bullets.”

Very Nigerian reached out to the spokesperson of the Nigerian Army, Lt. Col. Apollonia Anele, for comments on the incident.

However, calls to her mobile line were not answered, and a text message sent to him seeking clarification on the shooting had also not received a response at the time of publishing this report.

Efforts to obtain the Army’s official position on the allegations remain ongoing, but as of press time, no reaction had been provided.

The Nigerian Army had not issued an official statement on the incident as of the time of filing this report.