By Ibrahim Kado | Yola | December 12, 2025
In a forceful appeal to the highest levels of government, the Pene Da Bwatiye Development Association Worldwide has called on President Bola Tinubu to intervene decisively in a deadly and recurring communal clash in Adamawa State. The conflict, a bitter dispute over farmland between the Bachama and Tchobo communities of Rigangun and Waduku in Lamurde Local Government Area, has reportedly claimed twelve lives, plunging the region into mourning and instability.
The association’s president, Chief James Iliya, framed the crisis not as an isolated incident but as a symptom of a deeper failure in conflict resolution and state protection. “The world is watching,” Iliya stated during a press conference in Yola. “Our grief is immense, but our resolve for justice and peace remains resolute.”
Beyond the Headlines: The Anatomy of a Recurring Crisis
Chief Iliya provided critical context often missing from initial reports. The violence is not new; it first erupted in July before flaring up again this week. This pattern highlights the inadequacy of temporary ceasefires or superficial interventions. Land disputes in Nigeria are frequently proxies for historical grievances, competition over dwindling resources, and perceived imbalances in political representation. Without addressing these root causes, any peace is likely to be fleeting.
A Blueprint for Justice: Demands for a Transparent Process
Moving beyond a simple plea for peace, the association presented a specific, multi-pronged strategy for restorative justice. Their demands include:
- An Independent Judicial Panel of Inquiry: They insist this panel must be transparent and comprise respected civil society leaders, human rights experts, and judicial officials—not just government appointees. The inclusion of the Police and the Department of State Services (DSS) in the investigation is requested to leverage their operational intelligence, but the association stresses the panel’s independence as paramount.
- Formal Apologies and Comprehensive Reparations: In a direct accusation, the association demands formal apologies and “immediate comprehensive reparations” from the Nigerian Army and the Federal Government to the families of the twelve murdered women and other injured victims. This points to an alleged military dimension to the killings that has become a central point of contention.
The Military’s Rebuttal and the Imperative for Evidence
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) notes a crucial counter-narrative from the security forces. Captain Olusegun Abidoye, spokesperson for the 23 Brigade in Yola, has explicitly denied that the Nigerian Army shot the women during what was described as a peaceful protest in Lamurde. This stark contradiction between community testimony and official military accounts underscores the critical need for the independent investigation the association proposes. Unraveling this discrepancy is essential for any credible path to justice and reconciliation.
A Test for Governance: The Call for Urgent Presidential Leadership
The association’s appeal is strategically directed at President Tinubu, Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri of Adamawa, and the Chief of Defence Staff. This reflects a understanding that resolving such entrenched conflicts requires coordinated action across executive, state, and security architectures. The plea for action “within the shortest possible time” is a recognition that delay risks allowing the conflict to harden into an intractable cycle of revenge.
The situation in Lamurde LGA is a microcosm of Nigeria’s wider security challenges, where local disputes are inflamed by a vacuum of authoritative mediation and trust in state institutions. The Pene Da Bwatiye Development Association’s call moves the conversation from reactive crisis management toward a structured process of accountability, reparation, and transparent truth-finding—a model that could resonate far beyond Adamawa’s borders.
Edited by Nyisom Fiyigon Dore
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