Nigeria has scored one of its biggest counter-terrorism victories in years with the capture of two notorious leaders of Ansaru, the Al-Qaeda–linked terror group that has orchestrated kidnappings, bombings, and assaults across West Africa.
The National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, announced on Saturday that Mahmud Muhammad Usman (also known as Abu Bara’a/Abbas/Mukhtar), Ansaru’s self-proclaimed “Emir,” and his deputy, Mahmud al-Nigeri (aka Mallam Mamuda), were arrested in a string of high-risk intelligence operations carried out between May and July 2025.
“These men have been on international watchlists for years,” Ribadu said. “Their capture closes a bloody chapter of terrorist attacks against innocent Nigerians and critical infrastructure.”
Abu Bara’a, the top commander, coordinated Ansaru sleeper cells nationwide and masterminded kidnappings and robberies used to fund terrorism.
Al-Nigeri, his deputy, was trained in Libya by foreign jihadists from Egypt, Tunisia, and Algeria. He specialized in weapons handling and IEDs, and commanded the “Mahmudawa” cell in Kainji National Park, spanning Niger, Kwara, and into Benin Republic.
The duo has been linked to some of Nigeria’s most shocking terrorist operations, including: The 2022 Kuje prison break in Abuja, the 2013 kidnapping of French engineer Francis Collomp in Katsina, the 2019 abduction of Magajin Garin Daura, Alhaji Musa Umar Uba, attacks on uranium facilities in Niger Republic and the abduction of the Emir of Wawa in Niger State.
Ribadu stressed that Ansaru, which broke away from Boko Haram in 2012, had “sold itself as a humane alternative” but quickly morphed into a ruthless Al-Qaeda franchise, aligning ideologically and operationally with AQIM (Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb).
Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, hailed the arrests as a turning point, urging Nigerians to support the security forces and resist extremist propaganda.
“Terrorists thrive on fear and publicity,” Idris said. “By breaking their command structure, we are not only keeping Nigeria safer but also giving our people the confidence to rebuild their lives and businesses without fear.”
Security experts say the arrests may weaken Ansaru’s operational links with jihadist networks in Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso, and provide fresh intelligence to dismantle remaining cells in the Sahel corridor.