Grief, anger and unanswered questions engulfed Lamurde Local Government Area of Adamawa State on Tuesday as nine women allegedly shot dead by Nigerian soldiers were laid to rest in a mass burial.
The burial, held within the premises of the Lamurde Local Government Secretariat, drew thousands of mourners from Lamurde and neighbouring communities, turning the solemn ceremony into both a farewell for the dead and a powerful indictment of the circumstances surrounding their deaths.
Community leaders used the occasion to formally release the identities of the victims, whose killing has ignited fresh demands for justice and accountability. The deceased were identified as Florence Frank, Suzy Tanko, Marry Talmon, Mercy Kennedy, Lucky Yakubu, Pwamwasari Tami, Mary Shikauno, Destiny Gibson and Hunbokwama Nickson.
Wrapped in white cloths and grass mats and laid side by side, the bodies presented a haunting scene that deepened public outrage, with many residents describing the incident as an “avoidable and unjustified military assault.”
At the burial, the Bwate Youth Wing, representing several dialect groups within the Bachama-speaking communities, openly accused the Nigerian Army of responsibility for the killings.
Its Secretary-General, Abner Kwakano, said the community witnessed the incident firsthand and rejected any attempt to shift blame.
“We maintain without hesitation that the army opened fire on innocent women, resulting in deaths and injuries. This is the truth as witnessed directly by the community,” Kwakano said.
He demanded a transparent and independent investigation, stressing that anything less than full accountability would amount to a grave insult to the memories of the slain women and a further injustice to their families.
However, a counter-narrative also emerged, underscoring deep-seated tensions in the area. The Chobo Youth Forum rejected claims that its members or any Chobo militia instigated the confrontation that preceded the shooting.
In a statement signed by its Secretary-General, Engr. Gideon Sam, the group said Chobo communities were, in fact, victims of attacks, alleging that their villages were invaded and razed by Bachama militia.
The forum described reports suggesting that Chobo youths initiated the violence as “false, misleading and dangerous,” warning that such narratives could further inflame tensions and worsen the fragile security situation.
As Lamurde mourns, pressure continues to mount on the Nigerian Army to clearly explain what led to the deadly encounter and why unarmed women became casualties in a security operation.
With both sides trading accusations and emotions running high, residents and civil society groups are calling on the federal authorities to ensure an impartial investigation, justice for the victims and concrete steps to prevent a recurrence of such трагic loss of innocent lives.