By John Umeh
The Federal Government has announced the arrest of two senior commanders of Jama’atu Ansarul Muslimina fi-Biladis Sudan (Ansaru), an Al-Qaeda-linked terrorist group operating in Nigeria. The breakthrough came after a months-long intelligence-driven counterterrorism mission coordinated by the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA).
National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, disclosed the development at a press briefing in Abuja on Saturday, describing the arrests as a decisive blow to Ansaru’s command structure and a landmark achievement in Nigeria’s war on terror.
According to Ribadu, the covert operation—which ran from May to July 2025—was jointly executed by security and intelligence agencies across multiple states. The two high-profile suspects captured were identified as Mahmud Muhammad Usman, also known as Abu Bara’a, Abbas or Mukhtar, the self-proclaimed Emir of Ansaru, and his deputy, Mahmud al-Nigeri, popularly known as Mallam Mamuda.
Ribadu revealed that Abu Bara, who had long been on Nigeria’s most-wanted list, coordinated terrorist sleeper cells nationwide and financed operations through kidnappings and armed robberies. His deputy, Mamuda, led the infamous “Mahmudawa” cell in and around Kainji National Park, spanning parts of Niger, Kwara, and even extending towards the Benin Republic. Intelligence reports also confirmed that Mamuda trained in Libya between 2013 and 2015 under foreign jihadist instructors, specializing in weapons handling and improvised explosive device (IED) fabrication.
“These two men have been central to Ansaru’s violent campaign,” Ribadu said. “Abu Bara directed sleeper cells responsible for kidnappings and robberies that bankrolled terror operations, while Mamuda commanded fighters in the forests and border zones after receiving advanced jihadist training in North Africa.”
The NSA disclosed that the suspects were not only responsible for numerous domestic attacks but also had international terror links. Their known operations include the 2022 Kuje prison break, the 2013 abduction of French engineer Francis Collomp, the 2019 kidnapping of Magajin Garin Daura, Alhaji Musa Umar Uba, and the abduction of the Emir of Wawa. They were also implicated in an attack on Niger Republic’s uranium facility.
“These men were internationally wanted and their capture marks the dismantling of Ansaru’s central command,” Ribadu stated.
He further revealed that during the raids, security operatives recovered a cache of weapons, sensitive documents, and digital evidence currently undergoing forensic analysis. The findings, he said, would provide actionable intelligence to track down remaining Ansaru operatives and disrupt their networks across West Africa.
“This strike has crippled the leadership structure of Ansaru and set the stage for the total elimination of the group. Our forces also secured valuable intelligence materials that will be used to identify and prosecute collaborators both at home and abroad,” Ribadu noted.
Former lawmaker Shehu Sani described the arrests as a major breakthrough in Nigeria’s counterterrorism efforts, while security analysts say the development could weaken terrorist links between Nigeria and jihadist groups in the Maghreb.
Ribadu called on Nigerians to remain vigilant, stressing that public cooperation through timely intelligence remains crucial to consolidating the gains made.
