Nigeria has recorded a major victory in its fight against terrorism with the arrest of two high profile leaders of the Ansaru terrorist group in a meticulously planned intelligence led operation.
The National Security Adviser (NSA), Malam Nuhu Ribadu, announced the breakthrough at the weekend, revealing that the suspects, identified as Mahmud Muhammad Usman (aka Abu Bara’a) and Mahmud al-Nigeri (aka Malam Mamuda)—were key figures in Ansaru’s leadership structure.
Their capture marks a significant blow to the Al-Qaeda-linked group, which has been responsible for deadly attacks, high-profile kidnappings, and cross-border terrorism in the Sahel region.
Ribadu told newsmen in Abuja that the intelligence-led operation conducted between May and July decapitated the leadership of the Al-Qaeda-linked group and dealt “the most decisive blow against them.”
He said the operation was carried out in collaboration with the armed forces, intelligence agencies and other security stakeholders.
“Abu Bara was described as the coordinator of terrorist sleeper cells across Nigeria and mastermind of several high-profile kidnappings and armed robberies used to fund terrorism.
“His deputy, Malam Mamuda, was said to have trained in Libya between 2013 and 2015 under foreign jihadist instructors from Egypt, Tunisia, and Algeria, specialising in weapons handling and Improvised Explosive Device (IED) fabrication,” he said
The NSA said the two leaders jointly spearheaded multiple terrorist attacks, including the 2022 Kuje prison break and the attack on a Niger uranium facility.
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Others, he said, included the 2013 abduction of French engineer, Francis Collomp, in Katsina, the 2019 kidnapping of Alhaji Musa Umar Uba (Magajin Garin Daura) and the abduction of the Emir of Wawa.
He added that they were also linked to Ansaru’s networks across Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso.
According to him: “It has dismantled Ansaru’s central command structure and signals the beginning of the end to impunity for terrorist leaders in Nigeria,” Ribadu said.
He said security forces also recovered valuable materials and digital evidence during the operation which were now undergoing forensic analysis.
According to him, these are expected to generate further actionable intelligence against residual Ansaru cells and their foreign collaborators.
“This feat exemplifies Nigeria’s advancing counter-terrorism capabilities.
“It followed months of deep surveillance, human intelligence and technical tracking, demonstrating enhanced sophistication and seamless inter-agency synergy,” he added.
The NSA commended President Bola Tinubu for providing strategic guidance as well as the armed forces, intelligence agencies and security services for their doggedness in achieving the success.
He reassured Nigerians that the government would sustain the momentum, stressing that the fight against terrorism was far from over.
“Nigeria will continue to pursue extremists with precision, resolve and unwavering determination,” he added.
He also called on citizens to remain vigilant and provide timely information to security agencies, noting that “national security is a shared responsibility.”
In his remarks, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Alhaji Mohammed Idris, commended the military and other security forces for the collaborative efforts.
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He also urged the media to continue to deny the terrorists the opportunity to use the media to propagate their evil agenda.
“It is incumbent on all of us to ensure that we work collaboratively together so that Nigeria can be safe again,” he said.
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