Nigeria has scored a major counter-terrorism victory with the capture of two of the most-wanted leaders of the Al-Qaeda-linked Ansaru group, authorities announced on Saturday.
National Security Adviser (NSA) Nuhu Ribadu disclosed at a press briefing in Abuja that a months-long, intelligence-driven operation led to the arrest of Mahmud Muhammad Usman, popularly known as Abu Bara’a, and Mahmud al-Nigeri, also called Mallam Mamuda.
Abu Bara’a, described as the “Emir of Ansaru,” was the overall coordinator of the group’s sleeper cells across Nigeria and the mastermind of several kidnappings and terrorist financing operations. His deputy, Mamuda, headed the notorious “Mahmudawa” faction of Ansaru, based in and around Kainji National Park, and trained in Libya under foreign jihadist instructors.
“These two men have been on Nigeria’s most-wanted list for years and are also internationally sought terrorists,” Ribadu said. “Their capture marks one of the most decisive blows against Ansaru since its emergence in 2012.”
Ansaru, formally known as Jama’atu Ansarul Muslimina fi-Biladis Sudan, broke away from Boko Haram in 2012 and gained notoriety for attacks on civilians, security forces, and infrastructure. The group, which pledged allegiance to Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM), claimed responsibility for high-profile crimes including the 2022 Kuje prison break in Abuja, the 2013 abduction of French engineer Francis Collomp in Katsina, the 2019 kidnapping of Alhaji Musa Umar Uba, Magajin Garin Daura, the abduction of the Emir of Wawa, deadly attacks on a Niger uranium facility, and other cross-border operations.
Ribadu said the arrest of the two Ansaru leaders between May and July 2025 has effectively dismantled the terrorist group’s central command. He added that caches of materials and digital evidence recovered during the operation are undergoing forensic analysis and are expected to yield further intelligence on the group’s networks in Nigeria and the wider Sahel.
He credited President Bola Tinubu for providing strategic support and praised the armed forces, intelligence services, and other stakeholders for their coordination in pulling off the operation.
“The fall of Ansaru’s leadership signals the beginning of the end of impunity for terrorist leaders in Nigeria,” the NSA declared. “We will continue to pursue extremists with precision, resolve, and unwavering determination.”
Authorities urged Nigerians to remain vigilant and continue sharing intelligence with security agencies, stressing that national security is a shared responsibility.
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