The Federal Government has announced the capture of two top leaders of the Al-Qaeda-linked terrorist group, Jama’atu Ansarul Muslimina fi-Biladis Sudan (Ansaru), following a months-long intelligence-led counter-terrorism operation.
National Security Adviser (NSA), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, disclosed the arrests during a press briefing on Saturday at the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) in Abuja.
The high-profile operation, conducted between May and July 2025, involved coordinated efforts from multiple security and intelligence agencies across Nigeria.
Ribadu identified the arrested individuals as Mahmud Muhammad Usman (alias Abu Bara’a, Abbas, or Mukhtar), the self-styled Emir of Ansaru, and his deputy, Mahmud al-Nigeri (also known as Mallam Mamuda).
“These two individuals were responsible for orchestrating numerous terrorist attacks across the country,” Ribadu said. “Abu Bara’a operated and coordinated terrorist sleeper cells nationwide and was the architect of several high-profile kidnappings and armed robberies used to fund terror activities.”
Mamuda, described as Abu Bara’s “Chief of Staff and Deputy,” led the “Mahmudawa” cell, operating within and around Kainji National Park, which stretches across Niger and Kwara States and into Benin Republic. According to the NSA, Mamuda received militant training in Libya between 2013 and 2015 from jihadist instructors from Egypt, Tunisia, and Algeria, specializing in weapons and IEDs.
Both men had long been on Nigeria’s most-wanted list and are also sought internationally for their roles in several notorious terrorist acts, including:
- The 2022 Kuje prison break in Abuja
- An attack on a uranium facility in Niger
- The 2013 abduction of French engineer Francis Collomp
- The 2019 kidnapping of Alhaji Musa Umar Uba, Magajin Garin Daura
- The abduction of the Emir of Wawa
Ribadu emphasized that the arrests have significantly weakened the Ansaru group, saying: “This operation has crippled their central command and opened the door to their total dismantling.”
He also revealed that security forces recovered key materials and digital evidence now undergoing forensic analysis, which is expected to yield actionable intelligence for further operations.
“This breakthrough will support our continued efforts to dismantle the remaining Ansaru networks and their international links,” Ribadu said.
The NSA urged citizens to stay vigilant and promptly share intelligence with security agencies to aid the ongoing fight against terrorism.
