The hegemony of the Ansaru terrorist sect in Birnin-Gwari Local Government Area of Kaduna State has been challenged as another terror group attacked them over territorial control of the area where they have always held sway.
Sources told Daily Trust that the Ansaru terrorists members were “preaching” to locals when another set of terrorists opened fire on them, killing two villagers in the process.
A source confirmed that the attacking terrorists stormed Damari village under Kazage Ward in Eastern part of the LGA in an attempt to dislodge the Ansaru terrorists from the village.
For some time now, Ansaru terrorists have taken over communities in the Eastern part of the LGA, guiding villagers against attacks by other terrorists’ groups.
Ishaq Usman Kafai Chairman, Birnin-Gwari Emirate Progressive Union (BEPU), who confirmed the incident said the clash between the two groups lasted for an hour.
According to him, the Ansaru members who were also heavily armed overpowered the new terrorists group, which made them (bandits)to retreat from the village.
“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 said the hospital was accidentally burnt accidentally due to the fire that spread from a burning vehicle.
He said the casualty figure between the terrorists and the Ansaru members couldn’t be ascertained but said the locals hailed the Ansaru members for defending the town from the invading terrorists’ attack.
Daily Trust further gathered that hundreds of residents including women and children fled from the town during the attack.
The group said the attack was organized because the terrorists knew the Ansaru members were in the town.
He 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.
Contacted the state Police Public Relations Officer in Kaduna, DSP Mohammed Jalige, promised to find out what actually happened from the Police Area Command area before commenting.
