Bwatiye Leaders Decry ‘Cold-Blooded Massacre’ by Nigerian Army, Demand Prosecution After Deadly Clash Claims 12 Women’s Lives

By Tgnews Reporter 

In a fiery press conference laced with grief and indignation, the Pene Da Bwatiye Development Association (PDBDA) Worldwide accused the Nigerian Army of a “pre-meditated act of massacre” against unarmed women protesters, demanding swift justice and accountability amid a resurgent communal crisis in northern Adamawa State.

The association, representing the Bwatiye ethnic group, gathered at its headquarters in Jimeta, Yola, on Friday to mourn the deaths of 12 women killed on December 8 in Lamurde, one of several Bwatiye communities reeling from escalating violence with the neighboring Tchobo group.

The women, described by PDBDA as peaceful demonstrators carrying only “leaves and tree branches” while singing songs for peace, were allegedly gunned down by army personnel deployed to quell the unrest.

“This attack on peaceful, grieving women… is not merely unprofessional or disturbing, but a criminal dereliction of duty,” declared Chief James Dickson Iliya, PDBDA President, in a statement read alongside General Secretary Mr. Emmanuel Pwakavi Bapatu.

The group likened the incident to a 2017 Nigerian Air Force airstrike in nearby Numan, Demsa, and Lamurde areas that killed over 100 civilians, calling it part of a “painful pattern of unwarranted violence.”

The crisis traces back to a July 7, 2025, farmland dispute between Bwatiye and Tchobo communities in Rigangun and Waduku, within the Bachama Kingdom.

A brief resurgence followed on July 11, but peace initiatives—brokered by the Adamawa State government, the Gongola People’s Forum, and local elders—had begun to take hold.

Tensions boiled over again on the night of December 7, when a coordinated Tchobo attack targeted Tingno-Dutse, Tito, Rigangun, and Waduku. PDBDA linked the assault to an ultimatum issued to security forces over an unrecovered stolen motorcycle, decrying it as a “mundane” trigger for “senseless” bloodshed.

In pointed criticism, the association accused the Tchobo of fostering the violence through “disrespect and violent conflict over dialogue,” including:

1. Disregard for the traditional authority of the Hama Bachama, a first-class monarch under whose domain the Tchobo reside.
2. Rejection of mediated peace accords, including one signed with the Adamawa State Commissioner of Police.
3. Public defiance of Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri during a high-level peace meeting, where a Tchobo youth leader spurned calls for reason.

“We have exercised significant restraint in the face of persistent provocation,” Iliya stated, urging the Tchobo to pursue grievances through “lawful and respectful dialogue” rather than “intimidation and conflict.”

PDBDA emphasized its commitment to “peaceful coexistence” but warned that the Tchobo’s actions have pushed the situation “beyond every reasonable limit of tolerance.”

The December 8 shooting occurred as Bwatiye women from Lamurde marched in solidarity, far from the main conflict zones in Rigangun and Waduku.

Witnesses cited by the association described the protesters as non-threatening, yet army troops—deployed just hours earlier to restore calm—opened fire, leaving several others hospitalized with gunshot wounds.

“What surprises everyone is that the women… were simply carrying leaves and branches of trees,” the statement read, branding the response “an act of profound cowardice and indefensible violation of every rule of engagement.”

PDBDA issued a series of “non-negotiable demands” to federal and state authorities, including:

Immediate identification, suspension, and prosecution of all soldiers involved, under the full weight of Nigerian law;

An independent judicial panel of inquiry, involving civil society, human rights experts, police, and the Department of State Services (DSS), to probe the incident and broader security lapses, with public disclosure of findings;

Formal apologies and comprehensive reparations from the Nigerian Army and Federal Government to the victims’ families and the injured;

Redeployment of implicated troops, replacing them with “fully vetted, disciplined forces” under a clear civilian-protection mandate.

The group expressed appreciation for the army’s initial deployment but called it insufficient, labeling the subsequent events “avoidable fatalities.”

Copies of the statement were forwarded to President Bola Tinubu, Governor Fintiri, Chief of Defence Staff, Nigeria Police headquarters, and DSS.

As the Bwatiye communities bury their dead, PDBDA vowed unrelenting pursuit of justice. “Our grief is immense, but our resolve for justice and peace remains resolute,” Iliya concluded. “The world is watching. As we mourn, we will not rest until justice is done.”

Local authorities in Adamawa have yet to respond publicly to the allegations. The incident underscores ongoing ethnic tensions in Nigeria’s North-East, where resource disputes and security overreach have repeatedly ignited violence, displacing thousands and straining fragile peace processes.