By Umar Dankano, Yola.
A Human Rights Organization Under the aupieces “Bedada Care Foundation” and its partners have called on the Federal government to direct the Military high authorities to fish out and prosecute the soldiers allegedly responsible for killing of eleven (11) protesting women in Lamurde local government area of Adamawa state.
It could be recalled that on the 8th of December 2025, exactly eight months ago at the peak of the communal crisis between the Bachama and chobo Communities over farmland and demand for chiefdom creation, Bachama women in their numbers while staging a peaceful protest against invasion of their villages by the chobo militias.
However,in the process blocked troops believed to be attached to the 23th Armoured Brigade Yola were allegedly said to have fired warning shots which were suspected to have hit the direction of the women killing of eleven among them.
Speaking at a press conference in Yola on Wednesday, Representative of the Foundation,Elizabeth Jatau said that, eight (8) months later, the Lamurde community has still not been told the truth noting that the families of the slain have still not seen justice and the survivors are still suffering in silence.
Jatau narrated that the women of Lamurde took to the streets because their community had been left exposed. “Communal attacks had put lives and livelihoods at risk, and the military deployment promised to protect them had arrived.In peaceful, unmistakable protest, the women assembled with leaves in hand and songs on their lips.
“It is precisely because the facts are contested that an independent, impartial investigation and not competing public statements must determine what happened and who is accountable.That is why Bedada Care Foundation and its partners commissioned an independent legal investigation in to the shooting.
“The Bedada Care Foundation and its partners, Will not allow this silence to stand”.Jatau stated.
The Foundation acknowledged the efforts of the state government in the aftermath of the killings through its peace Commission by engaging youths, traditional and religious leaders and even community representative and provided some families of the victims with support for education and livelihoods but insisted more need to be done.
“These measures matter, and we welcome them.But peace-building and welfare support are not substitute for justice, calming a community with out holding perpetrators accountable leaves the underlying wound open and leaves the door open for it to happen again.
“We therefore demand ;a prompt indepen dent, and transparent prosecution of the soldiers responsible for the shooting and killing of the eleven women through the appropriate civil justice channels, and immediate provision of medical care to surviving victims still suffering from injuries sustained on December 8th 2025
“We also demand for livelihood restitution for survivors who can no longer farm,trade,or work because of the injuries sustained during the shooting, and protection guarantees for survivors and witnesses who come forward,so that seeking justice does not expose them to further harm.Also a credible mechanism to establish the real facts of 8 December 2025 and make findings public”. The Foundation solicited.
Our Correspondent reports that Bedada Care Foundation is a women and Human Rights Defenders, (WHRD) Organization working at a frontline of women’s rights and civic participation in the country.