US Praises Nigeria’s Arrest of Ansaru Leaders as Significant Step Against Terrorism

The United States government has praised Nigeria following the arrest of key leaders of Jama’atu Ansarul Muslimina fi-Biladis Sudan (Ansaru), a terrorist group active in northern Nigeria.

In a statement posted on its official X handle on Monday, the US Mission in Nigeria described the arrests as “a significant step forward in Nigeria’s fight against terrorism and extremism.”

The arrests were announced by Nigeria’s National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, who revealed that Mahmud Muhammad Usman, known as Abu Bara’a, and Mahmud al-Nigeri, also called Mallam Mamuda, were captured during a “targeted operation” conducted between May and July.

Both individuals have been linked to several terror activities in the northern region.

President Bola Tinubu’s spokesman, Bayo Onanuga, had earlier hailed the arrests as a “significant breakthrough in the war against terrorism.”

The US government echoed this sentiment, commending Nigerian security forces for the successful operation and emphasizing the importance of this achievement in combating terrorism and extremism in Nigeria.