The Federal Government on Saturday, announced the arrest of two top leaders of Jama’atu Ansarul Muslimina fi-Biladis Sudan, an Al-Qaeda affiliate in Nigeria, following months-long counter-terrorism operation.

The National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu, disclosed this at a press briefing held at the Office of the National Security Adviser in Abuja.

Ribadu said the intelligence-led operation was carried out between May and July 2025, in collaboration with security and intelligence agencies.

Those arrested are Mahmud Muhammad Usman, also known as Abu Bara’a, Abbas or Mukhtar, identified as the self-styled Emir of Ansaru, and his deputy, Mahmud al-Nigeri, also known as Mallam Mamuda.

According to Ribadu, Abu Bara’a coordinated terrorist sleeper cells across Nigeria and masterminded high-profile kidnappings and armed robberies to finance terrorism.

He added that his deputy, Mamuda, led the “Mahmudawa” cell around Kainji National Park and was trained in Libya between 2013 and 2015 under foreign jihadist instructors.

The NSA said the two men had been on Nigeria’s most-wanted list for years and were also internationally wanted.

According to him, the suspects were responsible for attacks including the 2022 Kuje prison break, the attack on Niger’s uranium facility, the 2013 abduction of a French engineer, Francis Collomp, and the 2019 kidnapping of Alhaji Musa Umar Uba, Magajin Garin Daura.

The NSA added that their arrest has dismantled Ansaru’s central command structure and marks a significant achievement in Nigeria’s fight against terrorism.

He added that security forces had recovered materials and digital evidence during the operation, which are currently undergoing forensic analysis.