Most residents of Kurutu community in Kachia LGA of Kaduna State have fled their homes following a gun battle between soldiers and bandits in the Kuturu Forest.

City & Crime earlier reported that a community leader in the area two weeks ago raised alarm about the activities of bandits who turned the forest into their hideout and posed a serious threat to the people of the community.

A resident of Azzara, a neighbouring community, told our reporter on Monday through telephone that the gun battle led to a pandemonium and that while the residents were fleeing some of the bandits who were escaping took cover in some houses in the community.

He further said that three bandits were killed during the gun battle, adding that most of the fleeing villagers took refuge in neighboring Azzara and Katari communities and Kagarko LGA.

A vigilante, Nasiru Gambo, said that before the raid on the forest some of the bandits moved freely into the community which resulted in tension and fear among the villagers.

The spokesman of the Kaduna State Police Command, ASP Hassan Mansur, was yet to react to the development as he did not pick calls or reply to a text message.