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Bandits have attacked a splinter Boko Haram sect, the Ansaru terror sect, resulting in a bloody clash in Birnin-Gwari Local Government Area of Kaduna State.
The incident happened at Damari village, under Kazage Ward in Eastern part of the local government, as the bandits swooped on the terrorists who had established a base in the village.
As gathered by Daily Trust, the sect members were giving sermon to the community dwellers when the bandits stormed the area in an attempt to dislodge them from the village.
Two villagers were killed in the process with shops, vehicles, as well as a private hospital, burnt.
Confirming the incident via a statement in Kaduna on Friday, July 15, 2022, Chairman of the Birnin Gwari Emirate Progressive Union, Ishaq Kasai, said the bandits stormed into the village on motorbikes.
He added that a fire exchange ensued between the two terror groups and lasted for about two hours, with the Ansaru sect able to overpower the bandits who were equally armed with sophisticated weapons.
The development won the Ansaru terrorists a massive applause from the locals who commended them for protecting them against the bandits.
The statement read, “Bandits numbering about 200 on motorcycles, wielding sophisticated weapons targeted and attacked Damari town of Kazage Ward in the eastern part of Birnin-Gwari Local Government Area of Kaduna State.
“The attack took place around 5:00 pm on Wednesday, 13th July 2022, while Ansaru members were right inside the town preaching to locals.
“On hearing the sporadic gunshots from the bandits, the Ansaru members moved towards them and started exchanging fire. They clashed for about an hour. The Ansaru members who were also heavily armed overpowered the bandits which made them retreat and run away.
“During the clash, some damages were done to the town. One shop was burnt, two vehicles were burnt, one private hospital was burnt as well as two locals (labourers) were also killed by the bandits on their way from the farm, while the bandits were running away to the forest.
“The private hospital was burnt accidentally as a result of the fire spread from the second vehicle burnt nearby.
“As a result of this, most of the community members appreciate and hail the Ansaru members for defending the town from the bandits’ attack without which they believe that the situation could have been more damaging.
“Hundreds of persons including women and children migrated from the town as a result of the attack.
“The attack was a very organised one because the armed bandits knew that the Ansaru members are covering the town. Hence, it was countered by the Ansaru members.
“However, the casualty figure between the armed bandits and the Ansaru members is unascertained.
“The Ansaru members continue to preach and administer Shari’a justice to locals and also advise them to acquire arms to defend themselves against enemies, as well as fight government, in order to establish what they refer to as Islamic State.”
Some parts of Kaduna state has been ravaged by the scourge of bandits and terrorists attacks with many villages now said to be under the control of different criminal groups who now calls the shots.