In what security officials are hailing as a historic victory against terrorism, Nigeria has captured two of the most wanted leaders of the Al-Qaeda-linked Ansaru terrorist group, effectively dismantling its central command.
The National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu, disclosed in Abuja on Saturday that the arrests were the culmination of a months-long, intelligence-driven counter-terrorism operation conducted between May and July 2025.
Those arrested are:
Mahmud Muhammad Usman (alias Abu Bara’a/Abbas/Mukhtar) – the self-proclaimed “Emir of Ansaru,” who masterminded terrorist financing schemes and coordinated sleeper cells across Nigeria.
Mahmud al-Nigeri (alias Mallam Mamuda) – Abu Bara’a’s deputy, commander of the feared “Mahmudawa” faction around Kainji National Park, and a foreign-trained bomb specialist who once received advanced training in Libya under jihadist instructors.
Ribadu described the operation as “one of the most decisive counter-terrorism feats in Nigeria’s history.”
Ansaru’s Bloody Footprints
Ansaru, officially known as Jama’atu Ansarul Muslimina fi-Biladis Sudan, broke away from Boko Haram in 2012, pledging allegiance to Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM). Despite branding itself as a “humane alternative,” it quickly devolved into one of Nigeria’s most violent jihadist outfits.
Over the years, the group carved a bloody reputation through high-profile operations, including:
The 2022 Kuje Prison Break in Abuja.
The 2013 abduction of French engineer Francis Collomp in Katsina.
The 2019 kidnapping of Alhaji Musa Umar Uba, Magajin Garin Daura.
The abduction of the Emir of Wawa in Niger State.
The attack on a uranium facility in Niger Republic, a cross-border raid that drew international attention.
Security analysts say Abu Bara’a and Mamuda were the brains behind most of these deadly operations, funding their terror campaigns through a network of kidnappings, robberies, and cross-border smuggling.
Ribadu confirmed that the arrests have dismantled Ansaru’s central leadership, weakening its operational capability across Nigeria and the Sahel. He noted that caches of weapons, digital materials, and other intelligence seized during the raid are undergoing forensic analysis, which could expose wider terror networks across West Africa.
“The successful decapitation of Ansaru’s leadership is the most decisive blow against the group since its inception in 2012,” Ribadu declared. “With the fall of Abu Bara’a and Mallam Mamuda, we have signaled the beginning of the end for terrorist impunity in Nigeria.”
He further emphasized that the operation showcased Nigeria’s growing counter-terrorism sophistication, highlighting the seamless synergy between intelligence agencies, military units, and international partners.
Turning Point In Nigeria’s War On Terror
Ansaru, notorious for embedding sleeper cells in urban centers while hiding its armed factions in forests around Kainji National Park and the Benin Republic border, has long evaded Nigerian authorities. But with its top two leaders now in custody, experts believe the group has been dealt a near-fatal blow.
“This feat not only cripples Ansaru but also reaffirms Nigeria’s resolve to hunt down extremist leaders with precision and determination,” Ribadu said. “The war is far from over, but the fall of Ansaru’s leadership is a decisive step forward.”
For years, Ansaru maintained links with foreign jihadists in Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger, feeding into the wider instability plaguing the Sahel. Analysts say the arrests may disrupt these regional networks, cutting off vital collaboration and funding streams.
The NSA assured Nigerians that the federal government will continue to push relentlessly until every last remnant of Ansaru and its collaborators is crushed. “This is not just a tactical win,” he stressed, “it is a strategic turning point in Nigeria’s war against terror.”
Security experts agree: the capture of Abu Bara’a and Mallam Mamuda marks a watershed moment, proving that Nigeria’s evolving intelligence and counter-terrorism operations can outmaneuver even the most entrenched extremist leaders.
PIONEER NEWS 