The United States has commended the federal government and security agencies for the arrest of two top leaders of Ansaru, a terror group affiliated with al-Qaeda.
Gatekeepers News reports that the suspects, identified as Mahmud Muhammad Usman (Abu Bara’a) and Mahmud al-Nigeri (Malam Mamuda), were arrested after a series of intelligence-driven operations conducted between May and July.
In a post on X, the US mission in Nigeria described the development as a major step in the country’s efforts to combat terrorism and violent extremism.
The post reads, “We commend the Nigerian government and security forces on the successful arrest of wanted Ansaru leaders, Mahmud Muhammad Usman (aka Abu Bara’a) and Mahmud al-Nigeri (aka Mallam Mamuda).”
“This is a significant step forward in Nigeria’s fight against terrorism and extremism.”
According to National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu, Usman, the self-proclaimed Emir of Ansaru, coordinated sleeper cells across Nigeria and orchestrated kidnappings and robberies to fund the group’s activities.
He linked both men to several high-profile attacks, including the 2022 Kuje prison break that freed dozens of Boko Haram inmates, the 2013 attack on a uranium facility in Niger Republic, and multiple abductions, such as that of French engineer Francis Collomp in Katsina, Magajin Garin Daura in 2019, and the Emir of Wawa in Niger State.
The NSA added that the operation effectively dismantled Ansaru’s central command structure. Materials and digital intelligence recovered during the raids are now under analysis.
