Nigeria has recorded a significant breakthrough in the war against terrorism with the capture of the leaders of Ansaru and Mahmuda.

At a press briefing on Saturday evening, the National Security Adviser, Malam Nuhu Ribadu, said the two terrorists on the wanted list of Nigeria, the US, UK and UN were captured in an operation which was conducted between May and July 2025.

He said the men were captured in a high-risk, intelligence-led, counter-terrorism operation which led to their capture. They are leaders of Jama’atu Ansarul Muslimina fi-Biladis Sudan, commonly known as ANSARU, Nigeria’s Al-Qaeda affiliate.

Ribadu said the two men have been responsible for masterminding many terrorist attacks against Nigeria over the past years.

According to Ribadu:

“The first is Mahmud Muhammad Usman (aka Abu Bara’a/Abbas/Mukhtar), the self-styled Emir of ANSARU. He is the coordinator of various terrorist sleeper cells across Nigeria. He is also the mastermind of several high-profile kidnappings and armed robberies used to finance terrorism over the years.

“The second is Mahmud al-Nigeri (aka Mallam Mamuda), Abu Bara’s proclaimed Chief of Staff and Deputy. He is the leader of the so-called “Mahmudawa” cell hiding out in and around the Kainji National Park, straddling Niger and Kwara States up to Benin Republic. Mamuda trained in Libya between 2013 and 2015 under foreign jihadist instructors from Egypt, Tunisia, and Algeria, specialising in weapons handling and IED fabrication.

“These two men have been on Nigeria’s most-wanted list for years. They jointly spearheaded multiple attacks on civilians, security forces, and critical infrastructure. Their operations include the 2022 Kuje prison break, the attack on the Niger uranium facility, the 2013 abduction of French engineer Francis Collomp in Katsina, and the May 1, 2019 kidnapping of Alhaji Musa Umar Uba (Magajin Garin Daura). They were also behind the abduction of the Emir of Wawa and they maintain active links with terrorist groups across the Maghreb, particularly in Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso.

“The two men, who are wanted internationally, are currently in custody.

“The capture of Abu Bara and Mallam Mamuda, the group’s leader and deputy commander, respectively, marks one of the most significant achievements to date in our ongoing effort to rid Nigeria of the threat of terrorism. The successful decapitation of the leadership of this dangerous franchise marks the most decisive blow against ANSARU since its inception. This strike has effectively dismantled its central command while paving the path for the complete annihilation of the group”, Ribadu said.

The Ansaru group was first formed in January 2012 with a public declaration in Kano. It emerged as a splinter faction from Boko Haram, positioning itself as a “humane alternative.” However, its stated aim quickly turned to attacking Nigerian security operatives, civilian communities and government infrastructure. The group publicly displayed the setting sun logo of Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM), signalling its ideological and operational alignment with global jihadist movements.

“Over the years, Ansaru entrenched itself in both urban sleeper cells and forest enclaves across several cities in northern Nigeria and in forest-based enclaves, particularly around Kainji National Park, straddling Niger and Kwara States, as well as the Benin Republic”, Ribadu explained.