Islamic group, Ansaru, opens up on Abuja-Kaduna train attack, abduction of passengers

‘Our mission is to defend Islam from Nigerian govt

Dreaded Islamic group, Jama’ar Ansarul Muslimina fi Biladi Sudan, popularly known as, Ansaru has disassociated itself from the recent attack on Abuja-Kaduna train, saying that its mission was to defend Islam from Nigerian government.

The denial by the group was in a statement distributed to the residents and motorists plying the Birnin Gwari Road on Friday, titled, ‘Message to the Nigerian Government and the Citizens.’

According to the statement, the essence of the group is to work for Allah by protecting Islam and Muslims, who have been cheated and oppressed in Nigeria, claiming that they don’t kill for killing sake or abduct for abduction sake unless they were sure the person is a kafir (infidel) or an oppressor. 

They also claimed that Abu Barra, who was said to have been the leader of the group that attacked the train in March, was not their leader, adding that they would disclose the name of their leader at the appropriate. 

According to the group, their mission is to defend Islam from the wicked Nigerian government and other black African countries. It would be recalled that in a recent security update, the state Governor, Nasir El-rufai confirmed the presence of the group in two LGAs of the state – Giwa and Birnin-Gwari. 

In the same vein, the Chairman of Birnin Gwari Emirate Progressive Union (BEPU), Ishaq Kasai, in an interview on Friday, confirmed the receipt of the statement. 

He said, “Our Coordinators from some of the wards intimated us that the Ansaru group came on motorcycles and dropped the pamphlets in their various communities and gave some to motorists. We asked them to bring the pamphlet to us as you can see.” 

The message reads in part: “In the name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful. We are Jama’ar Ansarul Muslimina fi Biladi Sudan. We want to inform you that the attack on Kaduna-Abuja train was not by us, though the attackers claimed our group’s name.  It is not everyone that we attack.

“Our mission is to work for Allah by protecting Islam and Muslims, who are being cheated/oppressed. Our group’s aim is to become defenders of Islam and Muslims from the wicked Nigerian government and other black African countries.

“The name being claimed by the Kaduna-Abuja train attackers is really our group’s name but Abul Barra is not the leader of our group (Jama’ar Ansarul Muslimina fi Biladi Sudan). Our group does not concern much of making propaganda. Anytime we so wish, we will reveal to the public the name of our group leader and it’s mission.” (The Guardian: Excluding headline)