US Embassy Hails Nigeria Over Arrest of Ansaru Terror Leaders
The United States Embassy in Nigeria has commended the federal government and security agencies for the successful arrest of two top commanders of the terrorist group, Ansaru.
The development was confirmed on Monday by Presidential spokesman, Bayo Onanuga, who described the breakthrough as a milestone in Nigeria’s war against extremism. He disclosed that the arrests were made public after a security briefing by the National Security Adviser (NSA), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu.
In a post on its official X handle, the U.S. Mission in Nigeria hailed the operation, noting that the capture of the suspects was “a significant step forward in Nigeria’s fight against terrorism and extremism.”
The two men arrested are Mahmud Muhammad Usman, also known as Abu Bara’a, and Mahmud al-Nigeri, also called Mallam Mamuda.
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According to Ribadu, the suspects—leaders of Jama’atu Ansarul Muslimina fi-Biladis Sudan, widely known as Ansaru—were captured in a “high-risk, intelligence-led counter-terrorism operation” conducted between May and July 2025.
Usman, described as the self-styled Emir of Ansaru, allegedly coordinated terrorist sleeper cells across Nigeria and masterminded a string of kidnappings and armed robberies that funded the group’s activities. His deputy, al-Nigeri, headed the “Mahmudawa” cell, which operated around Kainji National Park, spanning parts of Niger and Kwara States and extending into neighbouring Benin Republic.
Both men had long been on Nigeria’s and international most-wanted lists. Their arrest, officials say, represents a major blow to the group’s operations.
Ansaru, a splinter faction of Boko Haram, has been responsible for several high-profile attacks in Nigeria, including the 2022 jailbreak at Kuje Medium Security Prison in Abuja and the deadly ambush on a Kaduna-Abuja train.
PRNigeria believes the capture of the two commanders could weaken Ansaru’s operational networks and boost ongoing counter-terrorism efforts across the country.
By PRNigeria
