Armed 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 Nation, however, learnt that the attack was repelled by members of the Ansaru terrorists group.
Birnin-Gwari Emirate Progressive Union (BEPU) confirmed the development in a statement it issued Friday evening, saying that, “the attack took place around 5:00pm on Wednesday 13th July, 2022 while Ansaru members were right inside the town preaching to locals.”
According to BEPU, in the statement signed by its chairman, Ishaq Usman Kasai, “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 to retreat and run away.
“During the clash, some damages were made to the town; one shop was burnt, two vehicles were burnt, one private hospital was burnt, two locals (labourers) were also killed by the armed bandits on their way from farm while the bandits were running away to 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 hailed 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,” BEPU said.
It however said that, the casualty figure between the armed bandits and the Ansaru members was not confirmed.
BEPU also reiterated that, the Ansaru members have continued 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.