Nigeria Captures Top Ansaru Terror Leaders In Landmark Counter-Terrorism Operation
In what security officials describe as the most decisive blow yet against terrorism in the country, Nigeria has captured the top leadership of Ansaru, the Al-Qaeda-linked extremist group that has plagued the nation for more than a decade.
The Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) confirmed on Saturday that an intelligence-led operation, carried out between May and July 2025, led to the arrest of Mahmud Muhammad Usman, Ansaru’s self-styled Emir, and his deputy, Mahmud al-Nigeri.
Both men — long on Nigeria’s most-wanted list and also wanted internationally — are accused of masterminding high-profile terrorist operations, including the 2022 Kuje prison break, the abduction of French engineer Francis Collomp in 2013, the kidnapping of Magajin Garin Daura in 2019, and attacks on critical infrastructure such as Niger’s uranium facility.
National Security Adviser officials said the operation involved months of surveillance, human intelligence and technical tracking, demonstrating what they called a new level of coordination and sophistication in Nigeria’s counter-terrorism capabilities.
“The capture of Abu Bara and Mallam Mamuda has effectively dismantled Ansaru’s central command,” officials declared. “This is a turning point in the fight against extremist violence.”
Founded in 2012 as a splinter from Boko Haram, Ansaru publicly aligned itself with Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM), embedding sleeper cells in northern cities and forest enclaves around Kainji National Park.
For years, its fighters coordinated kidnappings, armed robberies and attacks across Nigeria and neighbouring states.
Authorities said the arrests yielded valuable digital evidence and materials now under forensic analysis, which could help expose residual networks and foreign collaborators.
The ONSA praised President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for strategic support, and commended the armed forces and intelligence services for what it called “a textbook counter-terrorism success.”
Officials urged citizens to remain vigilant and share timely information, stressing that national security is a shared responsibility.
“This is the beginning of the end for terrorist leaders who have thrived on impunity,” the statement concluded. “Nigeria will continue to pursue them with precision and unwavering resolve.”
