The US Mission Nigeria has commended the Federal Government and its security forces for the successful arrest of two wanted leaders of the terrorist group, Ansaru.
The arrests of the Ansaru terrorist leaders were confirmed following an announcement by the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, over the weekend.
According to Ribadu, the leaders of Jama’atu Ansarul Muslimina fi-Biladis Sudan, commonly known as Ansaru, were captured in a “high-risk, intelligence-led, counter-terrorism operation” conducted between May and July 2025.
He said Mahmud Muhammad Usman, identified as the self-styled Emir of Ansaru, was the coordinator of various terrorist sleeper cells across Nigeria and the mastermind of numerous high-profile kidnappings and armed robberies used to finance the group’s operations.
Ribadu added that his deputy, Mahmud al-Nigeri, led the group’s “Mahmudawa” cell, which operates around the Kainji National Park area, a region straddling Niger and Kwara states and extending into the Benin Republic.
In a post via its official X handle on Monday, the US Embassy in Nigeria hailed the arrests of the terrorist leaders and described the successful operation as a win in Nigeria’s quest to end terrorism.
The post reads, “We commend the Nigerian government and security forces on the successful arrest of wanted #Ansaru leaders, Mahmud Muhammad Usman (aka Abu Bara’a) and Mahmud al-Nigeri (aka Mallam Mamuda).
“This is a significant forward in Nigeria’s fight against terrorism and extremism.”
