US, UK Hail Nigeria Over Arrest Of Terrorist Leaders

The United States and the United Kingdom governments have praised Nigeria’s recent arrest of suspected terrorist leaders linked to the Ansaru terrorist group, describing it as a laudable achievement by the Nigerian government.

This was contained in a statement posted on X by the U.S. Mission in Nigeria on Monday.

The statement described the arrests as a significant step in Nigeria’s ongoing fight against terrorism and violent extremism.

“We commend the Nigerian Government and security forces on the successful arrest of wanted #Ansaru leaders, Mahmud Muhammad Usman (aka Abu Bara’a) and Mahmud al-Nigeri (aka Mallam Mamuda).

This is a significant step forward in Nigeria’s fight against terrorism and extremism,” the statement read.

Also, the British High Commissioner of Nigeria, Richard Montgomery, commended Nigeria for its extraordinary and significant success in the war against terrorism.

In a tweet on Twitter formerly X, Montgomery described the successful operation as a significant step forward in the fight against terrorism.

“Congratulations to the security agencies & officers involved under the leadership of NSA Ribadu,” Montgomery said.

LEADERSHIP reports that last week, the National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu, announced the arrest of the terrorist suspects.

Ribadu revealed that Mahmud Usman (also known as Abu Bara’a) and Mahmud al-Nigeri (aka Mallam Mamuda), who were on Nigeria’s most wanted list, were apprehended following a series of intelligence-led operations between May and July.

He stated that Bara’a, the self-proclaimed Emir of Ansaru, coordinated terror sleeper cells across the country and masterminded kidnappings and robberies to fund the group’s operations.

The NSA linked the two suspects to several high-profile attacks, including the 2022 Kuje prison break in Abuja, which freed dozens of Boko Haram inmates.

Ribadu further disclosed that the suspects were implicated in the 2013 attack on a uranium facility in the Niger Republic, as well as the kidnapping of French engineer Francis Collomp in Katsina.

He added that they were also involved in the 2019 abduction of Musa Uba, the Magajin Garin Daura, and the kidnapping of the Emir of Wawa in Niger State.