Two Killed As Bandits, Ansaru Terrorists Clash In Kaduna

Unrest has been reported in the Birnin-Gwari Local Government Area of Kaduna State as bandits and members of the Ansaru terrorist engaged in a gun battle.

The Ansaru sect members were ‘preaching’ to locals when the bandits stormed the community and started shooting sporadically, killing two villagers in the process.

The incident as reportedly communicated to Daily Trust said the bandits entered Damari village under Kazage Ward in the Eastern part of the local government in an attempt to dislodge the terrorists from the village.

It was gathered that the Ansaru sect had taken over several areas in the Eastern part of the LGA in the guise of guiding villagers against attacks by bandits.

Speaking on the development, ‎Chairman, Birnin-Gwari Emirate Progressive Union (BEPU),‎ Ishaq Usman Kafai told reporters that the clash between the two groups lasted for an hour.

According to him, the Ansaru members who were also heavily armed overpowered the bandits which made them (bandits) to retreat from the village.‎

Lots of damages, however, according to Kafai were recorded during the clash.

“There were damages during the clash; a shop was burnt; two vehicles were burnt; a Private Hospital was burnt. Two locals (labourers) were also killed by the bandits while the bandits were running away into the forest,” he said.

Ishaq told the news platform that the hospital was accidentally burnt accidentally due to the fire that spread from a burning vehicle.

He explained further that the casualty figure between the armed bandits and the Ansaru members couldn’t be ascertained but said the locals hailed the Ansaru members for defending the town from the bandits attack.

Naija News learnt that hundreds of residents including women and children fled from the town during the attack.

The report said the Ansaru members continued with their preaching after the fight as they advised the people to acquire arms to defend themselves against enemies as well as fight government in order to establish what they refer to as Islamic State.