The Federal Government has expressed delight at the capture of two top leaders of the Al-Qaeda-linked terror group, Jama’atu Ansarul Muslimina fi-Biladis Sudan (Ansaru), describing it as a landmark breakthrough in Nigeria’s fight against violent extremism.
The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, in a statement at the weekend, hailed the security forces and the Office of the National Security Adviser (NSA) for the coordinated counter-terrorism operation that led to the arrest of the group’s self-styled “Emir,” Mahmud Muhammad Usman, also known as Abu Bara’a, and his deputy, Mahmud al-Nigeri, popularly called Mallam Mamuda.
“This development marks a turning point in our collective fight against terrorism. It demonstrates President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s unwavering commitment to security as the foremost priority of this administration,” Idris said.
He assured Nigerians that the arrests would have far-reaching implications for stability, especially in communities across Niger, Kwara, Kebbi, and the Borgu region of neighbouring Benin Republic that had long suffered under Ansaru’s reign of kidnappings, banditry, and cross-border raids.
“Security is everybody’s business. We appeal to citizens to remain vigilant, provide timely information, and support the ongoing fight. The media must also continue to treat terrorists as criminals rather than giving them platforms of notoriety,” Idris added.
The National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, had earlier announced the arrest of Abu Bara’a and Mamuda, describing it as the “decapitation” of Ansaru’s leadership. He said the two men were picked up between May and July 2025 in a high-risk, intelligence-led counter-terrorism operation.
“These two men have been on Nigeria’s most-wanted list for years. They jointly spearheaded multiple attacks on civilians, security forces, and critical infrastructure,” Ribadu said at a press briefing at the National Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC) in Abuja.
According to him, Abu Bara’a coordinated Ansaru’s sleeper cells across northern Nigeria and masterminded several high-profile kidnappings and armed robberies, while Mamuda, who trained under jihadist instructors in Libya between 2013 and 2015, specialised in explosives and guerrilla warfare. His so-called “Mahmudawa” cell operated in and around Kainji National Park, spanning Niger, Kwara, and parts of Benin Republic.
The duo were directly linked to the 2022 Kuje prison break in Abuja, the 2013 abduction of French engineer Francis Collomp, the 2019 kidnapping of Magajin Garin Daura, Alhaji Musa Umar Uba, the abduction of the Emir of Wawa in Niger State, and several cross-border raids in the Sahel. They also allegedly plotted attacks on strategic facilities, including a Niger uranium site.
“The successful capture of Abu Bara’a and Mamuda marks the most decisive strike against Ansaru since its inception. It has effectively dismantled the group’s central command and paved the way for its annihilation,” Ribadu declared.
He added that the suspects—also wanted by the United States, the United Kingdom, and the United Nations—are in custody and undergoing interrogation, while caches of weapons, materials, and digital evidence recovered during the raid are being subjected to forensic analysis.
Ansaru was founded in 2012 as a breakaway from Boko Haram. Though it initially claimed to be a “more humane” jihadist outfit, it soon pledged allegiance to Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM), and entrenched itself in northern forest enclaves, gaining notoriety for kidnappings, assassinations, and attacks on Nigerian and foreign interests.
Former Kaduna Central Senator, Shehu Sani, who also reacted to the development, described the arrests as a “decisive step” in the war against extremism.
“They kidnap, they kill, they are deranged, they are delusional in their dreams of a theocracy through bloodshed, and above all, they live by the sword. Their arrest sends a strong signal to violent extremist groups,” he said.
While security analysts have welcomed the breakthrough as one of the biggest blows to Ansaru since its formation, they cautioned that splinter groups and other extremist franchises such as Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) remain active in the region.
For many communities long plagued by violence, however, the arrests have brought renewed hope. As Ribadu put it: “This is not just a victory for our security forces. It is a message that those who terrorise innocent citizens will eventually be tracked, captured, and brought to justice.”
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