Adamawa: Group Condemns Renewed Crisis, Killings of Innocent Women
By Echo Express
The Pene Da Bwatiye Development Association Worldwide has condemned the recent resurgence of hostilities between Tchobo and Bwatiye communities in Lamurde Local Government Area of Adamawa State.
The position of the Association was expressed during a Press Conference addressed by the President of the Association, Chief James Dickson Iliya in reaction to the renewed incident which led to the death of some women who were peacefully protesting for an end to the crisis in their communities.
Titled “A Demand For Accountability and Justice, the Present stressed that it stands in profound grief and outrage.
“Once again, we are forced to raise our voices this time not in dialogue, but in anger and furious protest. “The blood of our innocent people, our mothers, daughters, sisters and beloved children have been spilled again for no just cause but out of envy and sheer hatred. But resolved that we will not, and never be silenced”.
Chief James Iliya who recalled the previous crisis between the Tchobo and Bwatiye communities of Rigangun and Waduku, noted that its position on peace, tolerance and coexistence has remained consistent, saying they will continue to prioritize peaceful coexistence and peace-building efforts.
“This effort, led by the government of Adamawa State, the Gongola People’s Forum, and Bwatiye elders, had made significant progress toward restoring calm, until a renewed co-ordinated attack on Tingno-Dutse, Tito, Rigangun, and Waduku late in the night hours of December 7, 2025. “This attack reportedly followed the expiration of an ultimatum issued to government security forces over a stolen motor cycle.
“The Bwatiye Community has watched with profound concern as tensions with the Tchobo rose and escalated. While being fully committed to peace, we have without any iota of doubt exercised significant restraint in the face of persistent provocation. We note and recognize the aspirations of the Tchobo but we must state unequivocally that their methods have been deeply flawed and highly destructive. Their actions, marked by a series of grave miscalculations, have brought us to a very perilous juncture.
“Specifically, the Tchobo community has consistently chosen the path of disrespect and violent conflict over dialogue, orderliness and respect for rule of law.
The Association alleged that the Tchobo have shown what it described as an ominous disregard for the sacred stool of Bachama kingdom and the Hama Bachama, a revered First Class monarch, in whose kingdom the Tchobo resides.
“This stands in stark contrast to the patient and considerate efforts historically made by the Bachama Kingdom to address legitimate grievances, efforts that have been met with neither appropriate acknowledgment nor appreciation.
“The Tchobo people have repeatedly undermined formal interventions. This includes violating the peace accord signed under the auspices of the Adamawa State Commissioner of Police and the Gongola People’s Forum, spurning these established pathways to resolution.
“The most scandalous act of the people of Tchobo tribe was the public disrespect shown to the stool of the Hama Bachama in the presence of the Executive Governor of Adamawa State, His Excellency Rt. Hon. ( Dr) Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri, CON, during a high-level peace meeting. At that gathering, they used a ‘youth leader’ to reject the appeals for reason and dialogue from the Governor himself and the government of Adamawa State.
“Pene Da Bwatiye Development Association Worldwide would have wished that Tchobbo tribe to have adopted the best global practices, where civil demands and policy matters in the best interest of the public be pursued through lawful and respectful dialogue, not through the pattern of intimidation and conflict which they have embraced.
“The tragic events that occurred of recent, where the shocking killing of innocent and harmless women stemmed from an incident as mundane as the inability of a law enforcement agency to recover a stolen motorcycle, exemplify the dangerous and unacceptable trajectory that the Tchobo have initiated. Mind you, this crisis is of their making.
“The Pene Da Bwatiye Development Association Worldwide declares that the Tchobo have gone too far. This situation has exceeded every reasonable limit of tolerance.
The Association called for an immediate end to all violence and provocations and urge all constituted authorities to act decisively to restore order, protect lives, and uphold the rule of law.
“While appreciating the deployment of the army on December 8, 2025 to ensure peace between the Tchobo and Bwatiye communities of Ringangun and Waduku in Bachama Kingdom, we are highly aggrieved and deeply pained at the senseless and unfortunate incident leading avoidable fatalities and loss of lives”.
The Pene Da Bwatiye Worldwide Leadership juxtaposed the December 8, 2025 incident with a similar incident carried out by the Nigerian Air Force on 4th December 2017, on the communities of Dong, Lawaru, Shafron and several other surrounding villages in the general area of Numan, Demsa and Lamurde LGAs in which a NAF Fighter Jet and helicopters, allegedly killed many innocent residents apart from the destruction of several buildings.
“This time around, on the 8/12/25th is the Nigerian Army that opened fire on protesting unarmed women in Lamurde, who had gathered in a peaceful protest carrying only leaves and tree branches and singing peace songs, but whose lives were suddenly cut short and in cold blood. Several others are battling their lives in hospitals as a result of the injuries sustained from the same reckless and unprofessional handling of military weapons, despite the fact that the army was deployed purposely to maintain and assure the peace. “What surprises everyone is that the women who were not in the conflict zone of the crisis, were simply carrying and branches of trees therefore posing no threat to the lives of the military personnel. Their only weapon was their plea for an end to the violence plaguing our communities in Rigangun and Waduku region.
“We consider the action of the military not an act of peacekeeping but a pre-meditated act of massacre of our women.
“Despite our community’s unwavering commitment to peace-building efforts, our people have been met with deliberate escalating brutality.
“Pene Da Bwatiye Development Association Worldwide condemns in the strongest terms the actions of the Nigerian Army personnel involved in such act of barbarism.
“The attack on peaceful, grieving women in such an act of profound cowardice and indefensible violation of every rule of engagement and every standard of human decency, is not merely unprofessional or disturbing, but a criminal dereliction of duty. This demand needs an immediate and serious action by the appropriate authorities. The conflicts in our areas have been too many and have consequently murdered our peoples’ patience”.
PDBDA demands the Immediate identification, suspension, and public prosecution of every soldier involved
“We demand that the personnel involved in this heinous act be brought under the full weight of the appropriate Nigerian law.
“We demand a swift establishment of an independent and transparent judicial panel of inquiry comprising respected civil society leaders, human rights experts, and judicial officials as well as the police, Department of State Service( DSS), to investigate this specific massacre and the broader security failures in this conflict. Its findings and recommendations be made public.
“We demand formal apologies and immediate comprehensive reparations from the Nigerian Army and the Federal Government of Nigeria to the families of the twelve (12) murdered women and all other victims of this needless and mindless onslaught receiving treatment in various Hospitals across the State.
“We demand the immediate re-deployment of the army units presently deployed in the area, and especially the culprits and their accomplices, and their replacement with fully vetted, disciplined forces under a clear and public mandate to protect civilians”.
Pene Da Bwatiye Development Association Worldwide, is appealing to President Bola Tinubu, the Governor of Adamawa State and the Chief of Defense Staff to intervene within the shortest possible time to initiate restorative steps.
“The world is watching. Our grief is immense, but our resolve for justice and peace remains resolute.
“As we mourn, we will not rest until justice is done”.
The text of the Press Conference was signed by Chief James Dickson Iliya and Mr. Emmanuel Pwakavi Bapatu, President and General Secretary of the Association in that order.
