By Ismail Shuaib
ABUJA: Nigeria has dealt a decisive blow to terrorism with the capture of two notorious terror leaders, Mahmud Muhammad Usman, also known as Abu Bara’a and Mahmud al-Nigeri, popularly called Mallam Mamuda.
National Security Adviser NSA, Malam Nuhu Ribadu, announced the development at a press briefing in Abuja on Saturday, describing the operation as one of the most significant milestones in Nigeria’s counter-terrorism efforts.
The arrests, carried out between May and July 2025, followed a high-risk, intelligence-driven operation targeting the leadership of Jama’atu Ansarul Muslimina fi-Biladis Sudan (ANSARU), an Al-Qaeda affiliate in Nigeria, and its allied faction led by Mamuda.
“These two men have been on Nigeria’s most-wanted list for years. They masterminded multiple terrorist attacks on civilians, security forces, and infrastructure, including the 2022 Kuje prison break, the Niger uranium facility attack, and high-profile kidnappings”, Ribadu said.
Portraits of Terror
Abu Bara’a (Mahmud Muhammad Usman): Described as the self-styled Emir of Ansaru, he coordinated terrorist sleeper cells across Nigeria and orchestrated numerous kidnappings and armed robberies that financed the group’s operations.
Mallam Mamuda (Mahmud al-Nigeri): Once trained in Libya under foreign jihadist instructors, Mamuda led the so-called “Mahmudawa” faction operating in and around Kainji National Park. He specialised in weapons handling and improvised explosive device IED fabrication.
Both terror leaders, Ribadu revealed, maintained links with jihadist groups across the Sahel, especially in Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso.
Their capture, he said, has “effectively dismantled Ansaru’s central command while paving the way for the group’s eventual annihilation.”
Ansaru, formally declared in January 2012 as a splinter faction of Boko Haram, initially claimed to present a “humane alternative.”
However, it quickly turned to targeting security operatives, civilians, and government institutions. Its adoption of Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb’s (AQIM) symbols underscored its alignment with global jihadist networks.
Over the years, the group established sleeper cells in northern cities and entrenched itself in forest enclaves, particularly around Kainji National Park and border areas with Benin Republic.
Ribadu described the capture of Abu Bara’a and Mamuda as “the most decisive strike against Ansaru since its inception.”
He stressed that the arrests not only disrupted the group’s command structure but also bolstered Nigeria’s cooperation with international partners, given that both men were on the wanted lists of Nigeria, the United States, the United Kingdom and the United Nations.
“The capture of these men marks a turning point in Nigeria’s fight against terrorism. It demonstrates our resolve to rid the nation of extremist threats and restore lasting security”, said Ribadu.
