Contrary to claims by the attackers, Jama’ar Ansarul Muslimina fi Biladi Sudan, otherwise known as Ansaru Terrorists Group, has denied responsibility for the March 28 attack on Abuja-Kaduna AK9 train.
Ansaru made the clarification in a statement titled; “Message to Nigerian Government and the Citizens”, distributed to the residents and motorists plying the Birnin Gwari road on Thursday.
The group in the message written in Hausa categorically distanced itself from the attack of the Kaduna bound train, which claimed nine lives, got many passengers injured and over 60 abducted.
Ansaru group which claims it doesn’t kill or abduct anyhow, except they are sure a person is a kafir (infidel) or an oppressor, said the main essence of their group is to work for Allah by protecting Islam and Muslims who have been cheated and oppressed.
The group also claimed Abu Barra (leader of the train attackers) is not Ansaru leader, saying that, at the appropriate time, they will disclose the name of their leader to the public.
They maintained that their mission is to defend Islam from the wicked Nigerian government and other black African countries.
Chairman of Birnin Gwari Emirate Progressive Union (BEPU), Ishaq Kasai confirmed receipt of the Ansaru statement to journalists on Friday.
According to him, “our coordinators from some of the wards intimated us that the Ansaru group came on motorcycles and dropped the pamphlets in their various communities as well as to motorists.”
It would be recalled that Kaduna State Governor, Malam Nasir El-Rufai had during the presentation of the first quarter security report confirmed the presence of members of the group in two LGAs of the state, namely Giwa and Birnin-Gwari.