The U.S. Mission in Nigeria has hailed the Nigerian government and its security forces for the successful arrest of two high-ranking leaders of the extremist group Ansaru, calling the development a significant step forward in the fight against terrorism.
In a statement shared on its official X (formerly Twitter) handle on Monday, the U.S. Embassy described the capture of Mahmud Muhammad Usman (alias Abu Bara’a) and Mahmud al-Nigeri (alias Mallam Mamuda) as a major win in Nigeria’s ongoing counterterrorism efforts.
“This is a significant step forward in Nigeria’s fight against terrorism and extremism,” the U.S. Mission stated.
The arrests were initially disclosed by Presidential spokesperson Bayo Onanuga, who cited a briefing from National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu. Ribadu revealed that the arrests occurred during a series of high-risk, intelligence-led operations conducted between May and July 2025.
Targets with a Long History of Terror
Mahmud Usman, known as the self-declared “Emir of Ansaru,” is believed to have orchestrated various terrorist sleeper cells across the country and was allegedly the mastermind behind multiple high-profile kidnappings and armed robberies that helped finance the group’s operations.
His deputy, Mahmud al-Nigeri, led Ansaru’s feared “Mahmudawa” cell, operating primarily around Kainji National Park a strategic area that spans Niger and Kwara States and stretches into the Benin Republic.
The two men had long been on Nigeria’s and international most-wanted lists, with intelligence communities monitoring their movements for years. Their arrests are being viewed as a strategic blow to Ansaru, an al-Qaeda-aligned splinter faction of Boko Haram, notorious for a string of deadly attacks.
A Notorious Track Record
Ansaru has claimed responsibility for several high-profile terror operations, including:
- The 2022 Kuje prison break, which saw dozens of inmates, including terrorists, escape.
- The Kaduna-Abuja train attack, which left passengers dead and many abducted.
The group’s activities have made it one of the most dangerous jihadist offshoots in West Africa, with links to global terror networks.
A Turning Point?
The operation that led to the arrests has been widely applauded as a turning point in Nigeria’s counter-insurgency strategy combining deep intelligence gathering, inter-agency collaboration, and tactical precision.
With both men now in custody, security analysts hope this will disrupt Ansaru’s command structure and curb the group’s capacity to recruit, fundraise, and carry out further attacks.
