Two of the most wanted leaders of the Al-Qaeda-linked Ansaru terrorists group have been captured, in what authorities describe as a major victory against extremism.
The National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribaɗu, announced yesterday in Abuja that a months-long intelligence-led operation led to the arrest of Mahmud Muhammad Usman, known as Abu Bara’a, and Mahmud al-Nigeri, also called Mallam Mamuda.
Abu Bara’a, identified as the “Emir of Ansaru,” was the coordinator of the group’s sleeper cells across Nigeria and a mastermind of kidnappings and terrorist financing operations.
His deputy, Mamuda, led the notorious “Mahmudawa” faction of Ansaru operating around Kainji National Park, and is believed to have received training in Libya under foreign jihadist instructors.
Ansaru, formally Jama’atu Ansarul Muslimina fi-Biladis Sudan, broke away from Boko Haram in 2012 and pledged allegiance to Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM).
The group gained global notoriety for high-profile attacks, 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, and cross-border assaults such as the deadly attack on a Niger uranium facility.
Ribaɗu confirmed that the arrests, carried out between May and July 2025, have effectively dismantled Ansaru’s central command.
He added that caches of materials and digital evidence seized are undergoing forensic analysis and are expected to provide further intelligence on the group’s networks across Nigeria and the Sahel.
According to Ribaɗu, “The targeted operation, which was conducted between May and July 2025, led to the capture of 2 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 Malam 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 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.
‘These two men have been on Nigeria’s ‘most-wanted’ list for years. They jointly spearheaded multiple attacks on civilians, security forces, and critical infrastructure. Their operations include the 2022 Kuje prison break, the attack on the Niger uranium facility, the 2013 abduction of French engineer, Francis Collomp in Katsina, and the May 1, 2019 kidnapping of 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,” he explained.
Ribaɗu stated that the capture of Abu-Bara and Malam Mamuda, the group’s leader and deputy commander respectively, marks one of the most significant achievements to date in ongoing effort to rid Nigeria of the threat of terrorism.
He noted that the successful decapitation of the leadership of this dangerous franchise marks the most decisive blow against ANSARU since its inception. “The stride has effectively dismantled its central command while paving the path for the complete annihilation of the group”, he stated.
The NSA further explained that the capture of Abu Bara and Mahmuda signalled the beginning of the end to impunity for terrorist leaders.
