Bandits have attacked members of the Ansaru terrorist sect in Birnin Gwari Local Government Area of Kaduna State.
Daily Trust Saturday gathered that the sect members were “preaching” to locals when bandits opened fire, killing two villagers in the process.
The bandits were said to have stormed Damari village, under Kazage ward in the eastern part of the local government in an attempt to dislodge the terrorists.
Daily Trust had reported how the terrorists had taken over communities in the eastern part of the local government area, guarding villagers against attacks by bandits.
Ishaq Usman Kafai, chairman of the Birnin-Gwari Emirate Progressive Union (BEPU), who confirmed the incident, said the clash between the two groups lasted for an hour.
He said members of the Ansaru group, who were also heavily armed, overpowered the bandits, which made them (bandits) to retreat from the village.
“There were damages during the clash – a shop, two vehicles and a private hospital were burnt. Two locals (labourers) were also killed by the bandits while they were running into the forest,” he said.
Kafai said the hospital got burnt as a result of the fire that spread from a burning vehicle.
He said the casualty figure between the bandits and Ansaru members could not be ascertained, but added that the villagers hailed the latter for defending the town from bandits.
Daily Trust Saturday further gathered that hundreds of residents, including women and children, fled the town during the attack.
Kafai further said the Ansaru group continued with their preaching after the fight, and advised the villagers to acquire arms to defend themselves against enemies, as well as fight the government to establish an Islamic State.
When contacted, the police public relations officer in Kaduna, DSP Mohammed Jalige, promised to find out what actually happened before commenting on the incident.
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