The United States has lauded Nigeria’s security forces for apprehending two key leaders of the extremist group Ansaru, calling it a major breakthrough in counterterrorism efforts.
In a statement issued on Monday, the U.S. Mission in Nigeria identified the arrested suspects as Mahmud Muhammad Usman (alias Abu Bara’a) and Mahmud al-Nigeri (alias Mallam Mamuda). The U.S. described the operation as a "significant step forward" in combating terrorism and violent extremism in the region.
Nigeria’s National Security Adviser, Malam Nuhu Ribadu, confirmed the arrests on Saturday, revealing that the two militants—wanted by Nigeria, the U.S., the U.K., and the U.N.—were captured in a high-stakes intelligence-driven operation between May and July 2025.
The detained individuals are senior figures within Jama’atu Ansarul Muslimina fi-Biladis Sudan (Ansaru), an Al-Qaeda-linked faction in Nigeria. According to Ribadu, they have orchestrated numerous deadly attacks across the country.
Usman, who declared himself the "Emir of Ansaru," allegedly coordinated terrorist cells nationwide and financed operations through kidnappings and armed robberies. Al-Nigeri, his second-in-command, led a militant cell operating near Kainji National Park, with ties extending into Niger, Kwara, and Benin Republic. Trained in Libya under foreign jihadist instructors, he specialized in weapons and bomb-making.
The duo is linked to multiple high-profile attacks, including the 2022 Kuje prison break, assaults on a Niger uranium facility, the 2013 abduction of a French engineer in Katsina, and the 2019 kidnapping of a prominent traditional leader in Daura. They also maintained connections with extremist networks in Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso.
Ribadu emphasized that their capture deals a severe blow to Ansaru’s operations, marking a critical victory in Nigeria’s counterterrorism campaign.
Ansaru, formed in 2012 as a Boko Haram offshoot, initially presented itself as a "moderate alternative" but soon aligned with Al-Qaeda, targeting security forces, civilians, and government assets. The group has been active in northern Nigeria and forest enclaves near Kainji National Park, with recent reports suggesting regrouping efforts in Kaduna, Katsina, and Niger states.
Both suspects remain in custody as investigations continue.
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