By Muhammad Mamman
Nigeria’s security forces have captured two high-ranking leaders of the Al-Qaeda-linked Ansaru group, marking a pivotal moment in the nation’s fight against extremism, National Security Adviser (NSA) Nuhu Ribadu announced on Saturday.
Speaking to journalists in Abuja, Ribadu revealed that an intelligence-driven operation, conducted between May and July, dismantled the leadership of the notorious terrorist organisation, delivering what he described as “the most decisive strike yet” against Ansaru. The operation, executed in collaboration with the armed forces, intelligence services, and other security partners, targeted Ansaru strongholds in and around Kainji National Park, spanning Niger and Kwara states, with connections extending into Benin Republic.
The apprehended suspects were named as Mahmud Muhammad Usman, alias Abu Bara’a (also known as Abbas or Mukhtar), the self-proclaimed “Emir of Ansaru,” and his deputy, Mahmud al-Nigeri, alias Malam Mamuda, who served as the group’s Chief of Staff. Both individuals have long been on Nigeria’s most-wanted list.
Ribadu described Abu Bara’a as the orchestrator of terrorist sleeper cells across Nigeria and the mastermind behind numerous high-profile kidnappings and armed robberies that funded the group’s operations. Malam Mamuda, his deputy, is a highly trained operative, having undergone instruction in Libya between 2013 and 2015 under jihadist mentors from Egypt, Tunisia, and Algeria, specialising in weapons handling and the fabrication of Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs).
The duo is linked to a string of audacious attacks, including the 2022 Kuje prison break, an assault on a uranium facility in Niger, the 2013 abduction of French engineer Francis Collomp in Katsina, the 2019 kidnapping of Alhaji Musa Umar Uba (Magajin Garin Daura), and the abduction of the Emir of Wawa. Their network also spans Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso, amplifying their threat across the region.
“This operation has obliterated Ansaru’s central command structure, heralding the beginning of the end for terrorist impunity in Nigeria,” Ribadu declared. He revealed that security forces recovered critical materials and digital evidence, now under forensic analysis, which are expected to yield further intelligence on Ansaru’s remaining cells and foreign collaborators.
Ribadu praised the operation’s sophistication, citing months of meticulous surveillance, human intelligence, and technical tracking, underpinned by seamless inter-agency cooperation. He extended gratitude to President Bola Tinubu for his strategic leadership and lauded the armed forces, intelligence agencies, and security services for their relentless commitment.
The NSA vowed that Nigeria would maintain its momentum in pursuing extremists with “precision, resolve, and unwavering determination.” He urged citizens to remain vigilant and share timely information with security agencies, emphasising that “national security is a collective responsibility.”
Minister of Information and National Orientation, Alhaji Mohammed Idris, echoed Ribadu’s sentiments, commending the military and security forces for their collaborative efforts. He called on the media to deny terrorists a platform to propagate their agenda, stressing the need for unity to ensure Nigeria’s safety.
