Army K!ll Notorious Terrorists Behind Kuje Pr!son Break
Army Kill Notorious Terrorists Behind Kuje Prison Break
The Nigerian military killed two top commanders of the terrorist group Ansaru in a major security operation between May and July 2025, an official has said.
The National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, announced the development at a press briefing on Saturday.
The terrorists, Mahmud Usman (also known as Abu Bara’a) and his deputy, Mahmud al-Nigeri (popularly known as Mallam Mamuda), were identified as masterminds of several high-profile attacks, including the 2022 Kuje prison break.
According to the NSA, the duo had been on Nigeria’s most-wanted list for years. Their killing followed what the NSA described as a “high-risk, intelligence-led” counter-terrorism operation that spanned multiple states and forest enclaves in northern Nigeria.
“This marks one of the most significant achievements in our efforts to rid Nigeria of terrorism,” Mr Ribadu said. “The successful decapitation of the Ansaru leadership is a decisive blow to the group’s operations.”
Abu Bara’a, described as Ansaru’s self-styled “emir,” coordinated terrorist sleeper cells across Nigeria and financed operations through kidnappings and armed robberies. His deputy, Mamuda, led a forest-based cell around Kainji National Park and was trained by foreign jihadists in Libya.
Both men were behind a string of deadly operations, including the 2022 Kuje Correctional Facility attack, the 2013 kidnapping of French engineer Francis Collomp, the 2019 abduction of Magajin Garin Daura, Musa Uba, attacks on uranium mines in Niger State, and the abduction of the Emir of Wawa.
Security forces also recovered a trove of materials and digital evidence during the raid, which are now undergoing forensic analysis, Mr Ribadu said.
Ansaru, a splinter group from Boko Haram, emerged in 2012 as a so-called “humane alternative” but quickly became aligned with global jihadist networks, particularly Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM).
The government said the dismantling of Ansaru’s command structure marks the beginning of the end for the group in Nigeria.
While officials celebrated the milestone, they emphasised that the fight is far from over.
“We will continue to pursue extremists with precision, resolve, and unwavering determination,” the NSA said, urging citizens to remain vigilant and report suspicious activities.
