Two topmost leaders of the Ansaru terrorist group arrested 

The National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, has announced  the arrest of two leaders of the Ansaru terrorist group.

He spoke on Saturday at a press conference at the Office of the National Security Adviser.

The NSA named those arrested as Abu Baraa, the Amir, and Muhammed Mahmuda, the deputy Amir.

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.

Ribadu said, “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 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.

According to him, 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. The two men, who are wanted internationally, are currently in custody, ” Ribadu added.

The NSA noted that the arrests had “effectively dismantled” the group’s central command while paving the path for its complete annihilation.

The Ansaru group was said to have first emerged in January 2012, with a public declaration in Kano, as a splinter faction from Boko Haram, positioning itself as a “humane alternative”.

However, its stated aim quickly turned to attacking Nigerian security operatives, civilian communities, and government infrastructure.

Ribadu also called on citizens to remain vigilant and provide timely information to authorities.