Suspected Ansaru terrorists, identified as the first breakaway faction of Boko Haram, launched a pre-dawn assault on a military base located in Kemanji village, Kaiama Local Government Area of Kwara State. The attack, which occurred around 3 a.m. on Monday morning and lasted approximately two hours until 5 a.m., involved intense gun battles between the assailants and security operatives, including soldiers and local vigilantes.

The ambush resulted in significant casualties among the security forces. Initial reports indicated at least three soldiers were killed and four others, including a local vigilante, were injured. However, subsequent accounts confirmed that four soldiers and a member of the local vigilance team were killed, with one vigilante also sustaining a bullet hit. During the chaos, the terrorists managed to abscond with eight operational motorcycles and a gun truck from the military camp, according to intelligence sources and local residents.

Kemanji village is strategically located near a section of Kainji National Park, an area known to be utilized by Ansaru fighters as a hideout. Although other terrorist groups operate within the region, sources predominantly attributed this specific attack to Ansaru, citing their previous confrontations with security forces in the village.

Residents described the incident as sudden and violent, with the sounds of heavy gunfire forcing many to flee their homes and seek refuge in nearby bushes and neighboring communities. While the security operatives were engaged in a fierce battle, there were also reports from a vigilante member that soldiers successfully neutralized many of the attacking terrorists.

As of the time of reporting, military authorities and the police in Kwara State have not yet issued any official statements or confirmations regarding the incident. It also remains unclear whether any residents were abducted during the attack, as authorities continue to gather information.