Sunday, August 17, 2025 - The Federal Government has announced the arrest of two top leaders of Jama’atu Ansarul Muslimina fi-Biladis Sudan, an Al-Qaeda affiliate in Nigeria.
The National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, who disclosed
this at a press briefing held at the Office of the National Security Adviser in
Abuja on Saturday, August 16, 2025, said the arrest was made following a
months-long counter-terrorism operation.
Ribadu said the intelligence-led operation was carried out
between May and July 2025 in collaboration with security and intelligence
agencies.
Those arrested are Mahmud Muhammad Usman, also known as Abu
Bara’a, Abbas or Mukhtar, identified as the self-styled Emir of Ansaru, and his
deputy, Mahmud al-Nigeri, also known as Mallam Mamuda.
According to Ribadu, Abu Bara coordinated terrorist sleeper
cells across Nigeria and masterminded high-profile kidnappings and armed
robberies to finance terrorism.
He added that his deputy, Mamuda, led the “Mahmudawa” cell
around Kainji National Park and trained 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 said.
"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."
The NSA said the two men had been on Nigeria’s most-wanted
list for years and were also internationally wanted.
Ribadu said the suspects were responsible for attacks
including the 2022 Kuje prison break, the 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. d The two men, who are wanted
internationally, are currently in custody, ” Ribadu added.
The NSA stated that their capture dismantled Ansaru’s
central command structure and marked a significant achievement in Nigeria’s
fight against terrorism.
He added that security forces recovered materials and
digital evidence during the operation, which are undergoing forensic analysis.
“This strike has effectively dismantled its central command
while paving the path for the complete annihilation of the group. 8. 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,” the
NSA said.
“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 bring them to justice, and completely annihilate the
remnants of ANSARU networks and disrupt their foreign collaborators.”
Ribadu also called on citizens to remain vigilant and
provide timely information to authorities.
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