The National Security Adviser (NSA), Malam Nuhu Ribadu, announced a significant counter-terrorism success on Saturday with the capture of two senior figures in the Ansaru terrorist group, a faction linked to Al-Qaeda.
Speaking to journalists in Abuja, Ribadu said the intelligence-led operation—conducted between May and July—effectively dismantled the leadership structure of Ansaru. The operation, coordinated by the Nigerian Armed Forces, intelligence agencies, and other security stakeholders, targeted terrorist enclaves in and around Kainji National Park, straddling Niger and Kwara States, with networks extending into Benin Republic.
The arrested suspects were identified as Mahmud Muhammad Usman (also known as Abu Bara’a, Abbas, or Mukhtar), the self-declared “Emir of Ansaru,” and his deputy, Mahmud al-Nigeri (aka Malam Mamuda), who also served as the group’s Chief of Staff.
“These individuals have been on Nigeria’s most-wanted list for years,” Ribadu stated. “Abu Bara coordinated sleeper cells across the country and masterminded several high-profile kidnappings and armed robberies to finance terrorism.”
His deputy, Mamuda, reportedly received training in Libya between 2013 and 2015 from jihadist instructors across North Africa, specializing in weapons handling and IED fabrication.
The two were allegedly behind several major terrorist incidents, including:
- The 2022 Kuje prison break
- An attack on a uranium facility in Niger
- The 2013 kidnapping of French engineer Francis Collomp
- The 2019 abduction of Alhaji Musa Umar Uba, Magajin Garin Daura
- The kidnapping of the Emir of Wawa
They are also believed to have played key roles in maintaining Ansaru's connections with extremist networks across Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso.
Ribadu described their arrest as “a turning point,” marking the collapse of Ansaru’s command structure and a major step forward in Nigeria’s fight against terrorism.
In addition to the arrests, security forces recovered critical materials and digital evidence, now undergoing forensic analysis to aid further operations against residual terrorist cells and their foreign affiliates.
“This success reflects Nigeria’s growing counter-terrorism capacity—marked by advanced surveillance, human intelligence, and inter-agency collaboration,” Ribadu said.
He credited President Bola Tinubu’s leadership for the strategic direction and praised the efforts of the armed forces and intelligence community.
The NSA urged citizens to stay alert and share timely information, emphasizing that national security requires collective vigilance. He reiterated the government’s commitment to pursuing terrorists with “precision, resolve, and unwavering determination.”
Also speaking, Minister of Information and National Orientation, Alhaji Mohammed Idris, applauded the joint efforts of the security forces and encouraged the media to play a responsible role by denying terrorists platforms to promote their ideology.
“It’s our collective responsibility to ensure Nigeria becomes safe again,” he added.
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