Says Capture Marks Decisive Blow Against Terrorism
By Tosin Odedele
The United States Mission in Nigeria has commended the Nigerian Government and its security forces following the successful arrest of two notorious terrorist leaders linked to Jama’atu Ansarul Muslimina fi-Biladis Sudan (ANSARU), Nigeria’s Al-Qaeda affiliate.
In a statement, the U.S. Mission hailed the capture of Mahmud Muhammad Usman (also known as Abu Bara’a, Abbas, or Mukhtar), and Mahmud al-Nigeri (popularly called Mallam Mamuda), describing it as a “significant step forward in Nigeria’s fight against terrorism and extremism.”
The commendation came shortly after the National Security Adviser (NSA), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, announced the breakthrough at a press briefing on Saturday evening in Abuja. He confirmed that the two men, long on the wanted list of Nigeria, the U.S., the U.K., and the United Nations, were apprehended during a high-risk, intelligence-led counter-terrorism operation carried out between May and July 2025.
According to Ribadu, Abu Bara’a served as the self-styled Emir of Ansaru, coordinating multiple sleeper cells across Nigeria and masterminding high-profile kidnappings, armed robberies, and terrorist attacks. His deputy, Mallam Mamuda, led the “Mahmudawa” cell operating around Kainji National Park, with training traced back to jihadist camps in Libya.
“These two men have been responsible for some of the most heinous attacks against Nigeria, including the 2022 Kuje prison break, the attack on the Niger uranium facility, and several high-profile kidnappings,” Ribadu disclosed. He added that their capture marks “the most decisive blow against ANSARU since its inception, effectively dismantling its central command.”
Formed in 2012 as a splinter faction from Boko Haram, Ansaru had publicly aligned itself with Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM). Over the years, the group entrenched itself in northern Nigeria, with bases spanning Niger and Kwara States into the Benin Republic.
The NSA assured Nigerians that the government remains committed to eradicating terrorism in all its forms, stressing that the arrests represent a turning point in the country’s long-standing battle against extremist violence.
With the U.S. and international community welcoming the development, security analysts say the joint momentum may strengthen Nigeria’s counter-terrorism drive and pave the way for deeper cooperation in dismantling transnational terror networks.
