THE United States has commended Nigeria’s Federal Government and security agencies over the arrest of two top leaders of the terrorist group Ansaru, describing the operation as a major step in the fight against extremism.
The National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, confirmed over the weekend that the arrests were carried out between May and July 2025 during what he described as a “high-risk, intelligence-led counter-terrorism operation.”
Among those captured was Mahmud Muhammad Usman, also known as Abu Bara’a, who Ribadu identified as the self-proclaimed Emir of Ansaru.
Usman was said to have coordinated sleeper cells across the country and masterminded several high-profile kidnappings and armed robberies used to fund the group’s activities.
His deputy, Mahmud al-Nigeri—popularly called Mallam Mamuda—was also arrested.
He reportedly headed the group’s “Mahmudawa” cell, which operated around Kainji National Park, spanning Niger and Kwara states and extending into neighbouring Benin Republic.
In a statement released today via its official X handle, the US Mission in Nigeria lauded the arrests, describing them as a “significant step forward in Nigeria’s fight against terrorism and extremism.