The Federal Government has arrested two senior leaders of Jama’atu Ansarul Muslimina fi-Biladis Sudan (Ansaru), an Al-Qaeda affiliate in Nigeria.

Their arrest follows a months-long intelligence-led operation.

The National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu, announced the arrests on Saturday during a press briefing at his office in Abuja.

According to Ribadu, the operation was conducted between May and July 2025 in collaboration with multiple security and intelligence agencies.

Those captured are Mahmud Muhammad Usman, also known as Abu Bara’a, Abbas or Mukhtar, described as the self-styled Emir of Ansaru, and his deputy, Mahmud al-Nigeri, also called Mallam Mamuda.

Ribadu revealed that Abu Bara coordinated terrorist sleeper cells across the country and orchestrated high-profile kidnappings and armed robberies to finance terrorism. Mamuda, he said, headed the “Mahmudawa” cell operating in and around Kainji National Park and had received training in Libya between 2013 and 2015 under foreign jihadist instructors.

“The targeted operation, which was conducted between May and July 2025, led to the capture of two top ANSARU leaders who have been responsible for masterminding several terrorist attacks against Nigeria over the past years. The first is Mahmud Muhammad Usman (aka Abu Bara’a/Abbas/Mukhtar), the self-styled Emir of Ansaru.

“He is the coordinator of various terrorist sleeper cells across Nigeria. He is also the mastermind of several high-profile kidnappings and armed robberies used to finance terrorism over the years.

“The second is Mahmud al-Nigeri (aka Mallam Mamuda), Abu Bara’s proclaimed Chief of Staff and Deputy. He is the leader of the so-called “Mahmudawa” cell hiding out in and around the Kainji National Park, straddling Niger and Kwara States up to the Benin Republic.

“Mamuda trained in Libya between 2013 and 2015 under foreign jihadist instructors from Egypt, Tunisia, and Algeria, specialising in weapons handling and IED fabrication,” Ribadu said.

“The NSA stated that both men had been on Nigeria’s most-wanted list for years and were also internationally wanted.

He linked them to major attacks, including the 2022 Kuje prison break, an attack on Niger’s uranium facility, the 2013 abduction of French engineer Francis Collomp, and the 2019 kidnapping of Alhaji Musa Umar Uba, Magajin Garin Daura.

“They were also behind the abduction of the Emir of Wawa and they maintain active links with terrorist groups across the Maghreb, particularly in Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso. The two men, who are wanted internationally, are currently in custody,” Ribadu added.

According to him, the arrests dismantled Ansaru’s central command structure and marked a major breakthrough in Nigeria’s fight against terrorism.

“This strike has effectively dismantled its central command while paving the path for the complete annihilation of the group. Let me use this opportunity to inform the public that, in the course of the operation, our security forces captured and recovered valuable actionable intelligence.

These include a cache of materials and digital evidence which are all now undergoing forensic analysis. The findings from the analysis are expected to support our ongoing efforts to exploit this success, bring them to justice, and completely annihilate the remnants of ANSARU networks and disrupt their foreign collaborators,” the NSA said.

Ribadu commended the Armed Forces, security agencies, and the media for their roles in the operation.

“Let me reassure the general public that we will not relent in our drive to make Nigeria safe for all citizens.

“In recognition that national security is a shared responsibility, I urge all law-abiding citizens to continue to remain vigilant and volunteer timely information to security agencies for prompt action,” he said.

https://dailytimesng.com/fg-arrests-globally-wanted-al-qaeda-affiliate-terrorists/