Nigerian security forces have arrested two senior leaders of the jihadist group Ansaru, a Boko Haram splinter faction linked to Al-Qaeda, in a coordinated operation carried out between May and July 2025.
The Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) confirmed the capture of Mahmud Muhammad Usman, also known as Abu Bara’a, the self-proclaimed leader of Ansaru, along with his deputy Mahmud al-Nigeri, alias Mallam Mamuda.
Abu Bara’a has long been identified as the mastermind behind multiple attacks and kidnappings, while Mamuda, trained in Libya between 2013 and 2015, commanded the “Mahmudawa” cell operating around Kainji National Park near the Beninese border.
Authorities say the arrests mark the most decisive blow against Ansaru since its formation in 2012, crippling a group known for attacks on civilians, security forces, and state infrastructure, as well as high-profile kidnappings such as the 2022 Kuje prison break and the 2013 abduction of French engineer Francis Collomp. Founded in Kano and later aligned with Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb, Ansaru consolidated its base in Nigeria’s northwest before pledging allegiance to AQIM’s Sahelian affiliate in 2021. ONSA noted that sensitive materials seized during the raid are under analysis and hailed the breakthrough as a step toward the group’s complete dismantling, while urging citizens to remain vigilant and support national security efforts.
