The Federal Government of Nigeria has announced the arrest of two senior leaders of Jama’atu Ansarul Muslimina fi-Biladis Sudan (Ansaru), an Al-Qaeda affiliate, identified as the masterminds behind the 2022 Kuje prison break.
The breakthrough was disclosed by National Security Adviser (NSA) Nuhu Ribadu during a press briefing in Abuja on Saturday, August 16, 2025, following a months-long counter-terrorism operation conducted between May and July 2025.
The suspects, Mahmud Muhammad Usman, also known as Abu Bara’a, Abbas, or Mukhtar, and his deputy, Mahmud al-Nigeri, alias Mallam Mamuda, were apprehended in a coordinated effort involving Nigeria’s armed forces, intelligence agencies, and other security stakeholders.
Ribadu described Abu Bara’a as the self-styled Emir of Ansaru, responsible for coordinating terrorist sleeper cells across Nigeria and orchestrating high-profile kidnappings and armed robberies to fund terrorist activities.
Mallam Mamuda, who led the “Mahmudawa” cell around Kainji National Park, spanning Niger and Kwara States into Benin Republic, trained in Libya between 2013 and 2015 under foreign jihadist instructors from Egypt, Tunisia, and Algeria, specializing in weapons handling and IED fabrication.
Ribadu linked the duo to several high-profile attacks, including the 2022 Kuje prison break, 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.
The suspects, who have been on Nigeria’s most-wanted list for years and are also internationally sought, maintained active connections with jihadist networks across Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso.
“This operation has dismantled Ansaru’s central command, marking a significant milestone in Nigeria’s fight against terrorism,” Ribadu stated.
Security forces recovered a cache of materials and digital evidence, currently under forensic analysis, to further disrupt Ansaru’s networks and their foreign collaborators.
The NSA emphasized the operation’s success as a testament to Nigeria’s enhanced counter-terrorism capabilities, driven by deep surveillance, human intelligence, and inter-agency synergy.
Ribadu called on citizens to remain vigilant and provide timely information to security agencies, stressing that national security is a shared responsibility.
He also commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his strategic guidance and praised the armed forces and security agencies for their relentless efforts.
“The fight against terrorism continues, but this decisive blow signals the beginning of the end for Ansaru’s impunity,” Ribadu concluded.
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