Adamawa: Bachama, Chobo communities resume hostility weeks after peace accord

A few weeks after a peace accord was signed to end years of bloodshed, tension has again gripped the Bachama and Chobo communities of Lamurde LGA of Adamawa State following the killing of three Chobo women.

Two men, William Joshua (30) and Ezekiel Luka (23), were arrested in connection with the killing of the three women on Saturday while working on their farm in Tigno village.

Daily Trust reports that the peace accord, signed late last year, was the outcome of sustained intervention by the state government under Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri after repeated communal clashes that claimed lives, destroyed homes and displaced residents in the LGA.

Last year’s violence between the Bachama and Chobo communities was particularly deadly. Several people were killed in attacks and reprisals, while farms, houses and public infrastructure were razed. Markets were shut for weeks, economic activities stalled and hundreds of women and children fled to nearby towns.

Alarmed by the scale of the violence, the state government intervened, deploying security forces and convening a series of peace meetings that involved traditional rulers, youth leaders, religious figures and security agencies.

These engagements eventually led to the signing of a peace accord, with both communities committing to end hostilities, respect boundaries and resolve disputes through dialogue.

The peace accord

The warring communities signed a peace accord in December, 2025, to end the protracted communal crisis that had claimed several lives.

The signing ceremony, presided over by Governor Fintiri, brought together representatives of the two communities, security agencies and other stakeholders. Declaring an end to the hostilities, the governor said there was “no victor and no vanquished”, stressing that the agreement marked a fresh beginning for peaceful coexistence.

Governor Fintiri described the conflict as unfortunate and regrettable, noting that it was painful for communities that had coexisted peacefully for decades to be drawn into violence. He urged all parties to embrace reconciliation and uphold the spirit of the accord.

The Executive Vice Chairman of the Adamawa State Peace Commission, Dr Jamila Suleiman, explained that sustained dialogue and consultations with stakeholders had led to concrete resolutions, culminating in the signing of the peace agreement.

She said both communities showed readiness to embrace peace and demonstrated strong commitment to the terms of the accord which sought to end the recurring clashes that erupted on July 27, 2025.

Peace deal collapses

Following the peace deal, relative calm returned. Security checkpoints were relaxed, displaced persons gradually returned home, and farming activities resumed.

However, the latest killings on Saturday shattered the fragile calm. Chobo leaders accused suspected Bachama militias of carrying out the attack on the women, a claim that sparked outrage within the Chobo community and triggered renewed hostilities.

Reacting, the National Youth Leader of the Chobo community, Luka Elisha, blamed Bachama militias for the killings and demanded the removal of the paramount ruler of the Bachama Kingdom, the Hama Bachama, alleging that the traditional ruler failed in his responsibility to promote peace.

In a video circulated on social media, Elisha issued a 72-hour ultimatum for the Hama Bachama to vacate the throne or face unspecified consequences.

He also called on the Adamawa State Government to immediately dethrone the monarch.

He said, “I want to thank the Adamawa State Government, the security agencies and all peace stakeholders. But the Hama Bachama must be removed. If the government fails to act, they should wait and see our response.”

Another Chobo youth leader, Hulert John, who was part of the peace agreement, alleged that it was Bachama youths—currently in police custody—who carried out the attack.

He said, “It is unfortunate that this happened barely weeks after we signed the peace accord. Recall that when the first peace agreement was signed, four of our people were killed, and the same thing has happened again.”

John maintained that the Chobo people were peace-loving, noting that this was why they did not retaliate after the recent killing of a corps member and a woman.

He further said, “If we decide to take the law into our hands, the government will not be happy with us. That is why we are leaving everything to the authorities.”

Responding to claims by the Bachama that the Chobo violated the agreement by cultivating disputed lands, John dismissed the allegation, saying it was an excuse.

He explained that the farmland in question was not within any contested area but was a private property belonging to a pastor, Godsful Lovinus, who cultivated and harvested crops there last year without incident.

He added that the governor had already given approval for people to cultivate their farmlands to prevent hunger.

Meanwhile, the national body of the Bwatiye Youth Wing, representing Bachama youths, submitted a formal petition to the Adamawa State Government and security agencies, accusing Luka Elisha of incitement, threats and actions capable of disrupting public peace.

In a statement, the group dismissed the allegations linking Bachama youths to the killings, insisting that there was no incident known to them that could justify the accusations or the demand for the removal of their traditional ruler.

The group further stated that Gundili was a Pire settlement and stressed that Bachama people had deliberately stayed away from Chobo communities in strict compliance with the peace accord signed last year.

Meanwhile, the District Head of Gyawana, Dr Agoso Bamaiyi, a Bachama leader who also participated in the peace deal, confirmed that the women killed were Chobo but said the suspects were arrested without clear evidence linking them to the crime.

He said, “Our lawyers are handling the matter because there is no concrete evidence tying those arrested to the killings,” explaining that the suspects were picked up while sleeping after their houses had earlier been burnt in a previous attack allegedly carried out by Chobo youths.

Dr. Bamaiyi regretted the renewed violence, saying the peace process might need to be restarted with new actors.

He claimed the immediate trigger was a land dispute and accused the Chobo youths of provocation, adding that Bachama leaders would not return to negotiations unless certain inflammatory actors were restrained.

He said, “If Luka, the youth leader, is not arrested, we will not return to the negotiation table. Luka led the negotiations that produced the peace accord, but he is fond of making inflammatory statements.

“We cannot work with someone who issues ultimatums to the government, demanding the removal of the first-class King of Bachama within 72 hours and threatening consequences if his demand is not met.”

A member of the peace committee, who preferred to be anonymous, explained that a key provision of the agreement was that no one should enter or cultivate the disputed land until the completion of final mediation as the accord was meant as a ceasefire to address outstanding issues; not an end to the mediation process.

He listed the unresolved issues to include agitation for the creation of a Chobo Kingdom and local government council, as well as the renaming of some towns.

He noted that the governor advised the communities to follow due process as some of the demands were constitutional in nature.

On land matters, he said leaders agreed that all contentious farmlands should remain uncultivated until landowners were appeased and consent obtained, even if it required increased rent.

However, he alleged that Chobo farmers later entered the disputed farmlands en masse, prompting security investigations to determine whether the area where the killings occurred was truly contentious.

Meanwhile, government officials said efforts were ongoing to re-engage community leaders, review the circumstances surrounding the reported killings and revive the peace process to avoid a return to the widespread violence witnessed last year.

Security experts speak

Christopher Sunday, Coordinator of the Community Security Architecture—a body that focuses on conflict mitigation—warned that communal tensions would persist unless leaders collectively ensured justice was served.

He said failure to prosecute perpetrators of violence fueled suspicion and mistrust, noting, “If those who commit crimes are not prosecuted, people will accuse the government of compromise. When the authorities fail to act despite knowing the identities of key actors, it only escalates the crisis.”

He said reports indicated that some Chobo individuals who leased farmlands for dry season farming around Waduku and Rigange insisted on cultivating the land this year despite opposition from the landowners.

He further said about N50m had been paid as lease fees, which had not expired, prompting the farmers to insist on access.

Sunday cautioned that unless the government acted proactively to manage such disputes, the crisis would continue to resurface, stressing that peace efforts must focus on addressing root causes.

He noted that the Chobo community had raised concerns about political marginalisation, claims over the Lamurde LGA and resistance to being under the authority of the Hama Bachama, and demanding a separate chiefdom.

He further said, “If the government examines these issues and brings all parties to the table, progress can be made.”

He added that sustained engagement, public sensitisation, tackling conflict profiteers and creating employment opportunities for youths were critical to lasting peace.

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