FG arrests masterminds of Kuje prison break, top Al-Qaeda affiliate leaders
The Federal Government has confirmed the arrest of two top leaders of Jama’atu Ansarul Muslimina fi-Biladis Sudan (Ansaru), an Al-Qaeda affiliate in Nigeria, after a months-long counter-terrorism operation.
National Security Adviser (NSA), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, announced the breakthrough on Saturday at a press briefing in Abuja. He said the intelligence-led operation, conducted between May and July 2025, was carried out in collaboration with security and intelligence agencies.
Those arrested are Mahmud Muhammad Usman, also known as Abu Bara’a/Abbas/Mukhtar, identified as the self-styled Emir of Ansaru, and his deputy, Mahmud al-Nigeri, also known as Mallam Mamuda.
Ribadu said Abu Bara coordinated terrorist sleeper cells across Nigeria and masterminded high-profile kidnappings and armed robberies to fund terror activities. His deputy, Mamuda, led the notorious “Mahmudawa” cell operating around Kainji National Park and previously trained in Libya between 2013 and 2015 under foreign jihadist instructors.
“These men have been on Nigeria’s most-wanted list for years and are also internationally wanted,” Ribadu said. “They were behind several major attacks, including the 2022 Kuje prison break, the attack on Niger’s uranium facility, the 2013 abduction of French engineer Francis Collomp, and the 2019 kidnapping of Alhaji Musa Umar Uba, Magajin Garin Daura. They also orchestrated the abduction of the Emir of Wawa.”
According to the NSA, their capture has effectively dismantled Ansaru’s central command structure and marks a major milestone in Nigeria’s fight against terrorism. Security forces also recovered materials and digital evidence during the raid, which are undergoing forensic analysis.
“This strike has crippled the group’s leadership and paves the way for its complete annihilation,” Ribadu added.
He urged Nigerians to remain vigilant and continue providing timely information to security agencies.
