The National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, on Saturday announced the capture of the leadership of the ANSARU terrorist group, Jama’atu Ansarul Muslimina fi-Biladis Sudan, Nigeria’s Al-Qaeda affiliate, alongside the Mahmudawa faction.
The arrested leaders are Amir Mahmud Mohammed Usman, also known as Abu Baraa, and his deputy, Marmuda.
Ribadu disclosed that the intelligence-led operation was carried out between May and July 2025. According to him, Abu Baraa, regarded as the “self-styled Emir of ANSARU,” coordinated terrorist sleeper cells across Nigeria and masterminded high-profile kidnappings and armed robberies used to fund terrorism. His deputy, Mallam Mamuda, trained in Libya between 2013 and 2015 under foreign jihadist instructors and led the Mahmudawa cell around Kainji National Park, spanning Niger, Kwara, and into Benin Republic.
Both men have been on Nigeria’s most-wanted list for years and were responsible for several deadly operations, including the 2022 Kuje prison break, the Niger uranium facility attack, the abduction of French engineer Francis Collomp in 2013, the 2019 kidnapping of Alhaji Musa Umar Uba, and the abduction of the Emir of Wawa. They also maintained links with jihadist groups across the Sahel and Maghreb.
Ribadu described the operation as “a decisive blow” against ANSARU, stressing that it effectively dismantled the group’s leadership. He revealed that valuable intelligence and digital evidence were seized and are currently undergoing forensic analysis to aid ongoing counter-terrorism efforts.
He commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for providing strategic guidance, praised the Armed Forces and security agencies for their synergy, and urged Nigerians to remain vigilant and support security agencies with timely information.
The press briefing was attended by the Minister of Information, the Chief of Defence Staff, Service Chiefs, the Inspector General of Police, the Chief of Defence Intelligence, the DG of DSS, and the DG of NIA.
What you should know
ANSARU was formed in 2012 as a Boko Haram splinter group but soon aligned with Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb.
Under Abu Baraa and Mamuda, it gained notoriety for kidnappings, attacks on security forces, and international terror links.
Their capture marks Nigeria’s most significant counter-terrorism success against ANSARU to date, disrupting its central command and weakening its presence across northern Nigeria.
