The Adamawa government imposed the curfew last Friday after more than 10 people were killed in a clash over farmlands

Governor Ahmadu Fintiri of Adamawa State has relaxed the 24-hour curfew he imposed on communities in Lamurde Local Government Area after establishing a peace and conflict resolution commission.

The governor imposed the curfew last Friday after more than 10 people were killed in a clash over farmlands. The conflict involved the Tsobo people of Bashaka, Sabonlaye, Gundili, Wami, Suwa, Bachama of Rugange and the Wadaku ethnic groups.

The curfew has been relaxed from 6 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily.

A statement by the governor’s spokesperson, Humwashi Wonosikou, said the development followed a positive assessment of the security situation in the affected areas.

The governor urged residents to maintain peace and harmony for the overall development of the area and the state.

“To ensure the continued safety of residents, Governor Fintiri has directed security agencies to maintain 24-hour surveillance in the area. This measure is part of the government’s efforts to mitigate further occurrences of crisis and restore lasting peace,” Mr Humwashi said.

Peace, Conflict Resolution, and Social Integration Commission

Meanwhile, shortly before relaxing the curfew, the governor inaugurated the Adamawa State Peace, Conflict Resolution, and Social Integration Commission.

During the inauguration on Monday, Governor Fintiri described the commission as the fulfilment of a pledge he made during his 2019 election campaign. He had made the promise to the people of the Numan Federation, where conflicts between farmers and herders in 2017 and 2018 claimed lives, displaced communities, and destroyed property.

The governor said to address these challenges, the state government commissioned a comprehensive security study in 2019 and subsequently established the Technical Committee on the Security Situation in the Numan Federation.

The committee, composed of prominent leaders from the Bachama and Fulani communities, met for over two months and produced recommendations that have since guided peacebuilding efforts in the region.

Residents react

In their reactions, the victims of the recent communal clash in Lamurde Local Government Area advised the commission on the steps towards resolving the conflict.

Edmond Mosoti, president of the Bwatiye youth association, advised the government to compensate those who were injured or lost property.

Bwatiye consists of Rigange and Waduku communities, where 10 people were killed, scores of others were injured, and over 200 houses were destroyed.

Also speaking, Lofty Timothy, a resident of Lamurde, urged the government to thoroughly investigate the conflict.

“We need an independent and impartial organisation to investigate the issues and propose concrete and lasting solutions,” Mr Timothy said.