Global rights watchdog Amnesty International has decried what it called the “deadly and unjustifiable use of force” by the Nigerian military following an incident in Lamurde, Adamawa State, in which soldiers allegedly opened fire on a group of women protesting security failures killing multiple protesters and injuring several more. According to witnesses and victims’ relatives, the women had gathered to demand protection and accountability after recent militia attacks on their communities.
Eyewitnesses told reporters that the protest turned fatal on Monday, December 8, when soldiers reportedly escorting a brigade commander of the 23 Brigade of the Nigerian Army opened fire at the protesters along a major road in Lamurde after they reportedly blocked the road to demand answers. Initial reports from local sources and community leaders indicate at least seven women were killed instantly, while several others were wounded and rushed to hospital.
In response to the unfolding crisis, Amnesty International’s Nigeria office released a statement confirming that soldiers killed the protesters. The organisation drew on testimonies from survivors, community members and victims’ relatives in making the determination. The Rights group condemned the incident as a serious violation of human rights and warned that the continued pattern of lethal force by security forces against civilians and protesters signals a troubling disregard for fundamental freedoms.
Amnesty’s condemnation underscores long-standing concerns about the use of live ammunition by security forces in response to demonstrations or communal grievances. The group has previously documented multiple instances across Nigeria including mass protests and religious gatherings where police or military forces allegedly used excessive force, resulting in death, injury and other human rights abuses.
As residents of Lamurde and neighbouring communities grapple with shock and grief, calls are growing for a transparent, independent investigation into the shooting. Civil-society organizations, local leaders and human rights advocates demand accountability: they insist that those responsible whether soldiers or militia actors must face justice, and that security responses be grounded in protection of lives rather than suppression of protest.
With tensions already high in Adamawa due to repeated ethnic-militia attacks, the killing of unarmed female protesters risks inflaming further unrest and deepening mistrust between communities and security agencies. Amnesty International’s denunciation brings renewed urgency to national debates over the security forces’ conduct, the safeguarding of citizens’ right to protest, and the protection of human rights in conflict-affected regions.