Houses, farm produce, domestic animals, and other valuables worth hundreds of millions of naira were reportedly destroyed during the mayhem.
Death toll has risen to nine after soldiers allegedly opened fire on protesting women in the Lamurde Local Government Area of Adamawa State on Monday.
Also, 51 others are receiving treatment for varying degrees of gunshot wounds—many of them life-threatening.
SaharaReporters earlier reported that at least seven women were gunned down in a chilling incident involving troops said to be escorting Brigade Commander Amaechi Agwu of the 23 Brigade, Nigerian Army, Yola. The soldiers allegedly fired live rounds at the demonstrators in Lamurde.
A respected community leader, providing an update on Tuesday, said: “After the dust settled and a proper count was taken, these are the figures: 9 dead; 23 in hospital in Numan; 28 in hospital in Yola — bringing the total to 60.”
Repeated calls to the spokesperson for the state police command, SP Suleiman Nguroje, went unanswered, and a WhatsApp message sent to him had not been replied to at the time of filing this report.
Houses, farm produce, domestic animals, and other valuables worth hundreds of millions of naira were reportedly destroyed during the mayhem.
Meanwhile, the 23 Brigade on Tuesday issued a random statement denying that its troops shot at protesters.
In a statement signed by the brigade’s spokesperson, Captain Olusegun Abidoye, the army said a joint team of soldiers, police, and other security operatives only cleared barricades mounted by the women to secure the Lamurde council secretariat, claiming that “assailants” were advancing to set it ablaze.
Abidoye also stated that Brigadier General Amechi Agwu was not at the scene, noting that he was attending an online conference convened by the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Waidi Shuaibu, at the time of the incident.
With many victims battling fatal gunshot injuries, residents fear the death toll may rise even further.