Arrest of Top Ansaru Leaders a Major Milestone in Terror War – Shehu Sani

Former Kaduna Central Senator, Shehu Sani, has hailed the arrest of two notorious terrorist leaders in Northern Nigeria as a critical breakthrough in the ongoing fight against terrorism.

In a statement posted on his X handle Saturday, Sani described the arrests — announced by National Security Adviser (NSA) Nuhu Ribadu — as a powerful blow against extremist violence.

“The recent arrest of high-profile terrorist leaders in Northern Nigeria, as revealed by the NSA Ribadu, is a significant step in the fight against terrorism,” Sani wrote.

“They kidnap, they kill, they are deranged, they are delusional in their dreams of a theocracy through bloodshed, and above all, they live by the sword,” he added, stressing that their capture sends a clear warning to other extremist factions.

NSA Ribadu had earlier disclosed that the two suspects — Mahmud Muhammad Usman, also known as Abu Bara’a, and Mahmud al-Nigeri, also called Mallam Mamuda — were apprehended between May and July 2025 through coordinated, intelligence-led counter-terrorism operations.

According to Ribadu, Abu Bara’a, who styled himself the “Emir of Ansaru,” led the group’s sleeper cells nationwide and orchestrated numerous kidnappings and armed robberies to fund their extremist agenda. His deputy, Mamuda, received training in Libya under foreign jihadist operatives and commanded the “Mahmudawa” cell, active near Kainji National Park and along Nigeria’s borders.

“These two men have been on Nigeria’s most-wanted list for years,” Ribadu said. “They jointly spearheaded multiple attacks on civilians, security forces, and critical infrastructure.”

He linked them to several high-profile terror acts, including:

• The 2022 Kuje prison break
• An attack on a Niger uranium facility
• The 2013 abduction of French engineer Francis Collomp
• The 2019 kidnapping of Magajin Garin Daura, Alhaji Musa Umar Uba
• The abduction of the Emir of Wawa

Ribadu emphasized that their arrest represents one of the most devastating blows against Ansaru, the al-Qaeda affiliate in Nigeria.

“The successful decapitation of the leadership of this dangerous franchise marks the most decisive strike against Ansaru since its inception,” he stated. “It has effectively dismantled its central command while paving the path for the group’s annihilation.”

He also revealed that both suspects, long wanted by Nigeria as well as international partners including the United States, United Kingdom, and United Nations, are now in custody.