Metro

FG Captures Two Ansaru Terrorist Leaders

Published

2 months ago

August 17, 2025

The Nation’s Security Agencies comprising the Military, Police, the Department of State Service , DSS and other intelligence agencies have arrested the two most wanted notorious Terrorists Ansaru leaders, Abu Baraa and Mahmuda.

National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, in company of the Chief of Defence Staff, CDS General C G Musa Service Chiefs, the Inspector General of Police, IGP Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, the Director General of the DSS, Oluwatosin Ajayi, top Security officials some members of the Federal Executive Council,disclosed this at a World Press briefing in Abuja at the National Counter Terrorism Centre on Saturday.

According to Mallam Ribadu, Abu Baraa and Mahmuda were responsible for Kuje prison break and other high profile abduction in North West and North Central of Nigeria.

“Today, I am glad to inform you that we have successfully concluded a high-risk, intelligence-led, counter-terrorism operation which led to the capture of the top leadership of Jama’atu Ansarul Muslimina fi-Biladis Sudan, commonly known as ANSARU, Nigeria’s Al-Qaeda affiliate.

“The group was first formed in January 2012 with a public declaration in Kano. It emerged as a splinter faction from Boko Haram, positioning itself as a “humane alternative.” However, its stated aim quickly turned to attacking Nigerian security operatives, civilian communities and government infrastructure.

”The group publicly displayed the setting sun logo of Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM), signaling its ideological and operational alignment with global jihadist movements.

“Over the years, Ansaru entrenched itself in both urban sleeper cells and forest enclaves, across several cities in northern Nigeria and in forest based enclaves particularly around Kainji National Park, straddling Niger and Kwara States as well as Benin Republic.

Mallam Ribadu explained that the precision operation that led to the capture of the terrorist leaders, followed months (from May to July 2025) of “deep surveillance, human intelligence, and technical tracking, which demonstrates enhanced sophistication and seamless inter-agency synergy.”

He pointed out that Abu Bara’a, whose real name is Mahmud Muhammad Usman, was the self-styled Emir of ANSARU, and had coordinated various terrorist sleeper cells across Nigeria, and also the mastermind of several high-profile kidnappings and armed robberies used to finance terrorism over the years.

According to the NSA, Mamuda, whose real name is Mahmud al-Nigeri, was Abu Baraa’s proclaimed Chief of Staff and deputy.

“He is the leader of the so-called “Mahmudawa” cell hiding out in and around the Kainji National Park, straddling Niger and Kwara States up to Benin Republic.

“Mamuda trained in Libya between 2013 and 2015 under foreign jihadist instructors from Egypt, Tunisia, and Algeria, specializing in weapons handling and Improvised Explosive Devices (IED) fabrication,” Ribadu said.

The NSA further added that the two terrorist leaders had jointly spearheaded multiple attacks on civilians, security forces, and critical infrastructure.

According to him, “Their operations include the 2022 Kuje prison break, the attack on the Niger uranium facility, the 2013 abduction of French engineer Francis Collomp in Katsina, and the May 1, 2019 kidnapping of Alhaji Musa Umar Uba (Magajin Garin Daura). They were also behind the abduction of the Emir of Wawa and they maintain active links with terrorist groups across the Maghreb, particularly in Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso.

“The two men, who are wanted internationally, are currently in custody.”

Mallam Ribadu further explained that the capture of Abu Bara and Mallam Mamuda, the group’s leader and deputy, marked one of the most significant achievements to date in the ongoing effort to rid Nigeria of the threat of terrorism.

According to him “ The successful decapitation of the leadership of this dangerous franchise marks the most decisive blow against ANSARU since its inception.

“This stride has effectively dismantled its central command while paving the path for the complete annihilation of the group.”

Mallam Ribadu further explained that security forces captured and recovered valuable actionable intelligence, including a cache of materials and digital evidence which, he said, were all now undergoing forensic analysis.

According to him, the findings from the analysis were expected to support ongoing efforts to “exploit this success, bring them to justice, and completely annihilate the residual of ANSARU networks and disrupt their foreign collaborators.

“This feat undoubtedly exemplifies Nigeria’s advancing counter-terrorism capabilities.”

The NSA reassured the public that the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu would not relent in its drive to make Nigeria safe for all citizens and the foreigners alike

Also speaking,the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Alhaji Mohammed Idris, urged the citizens to support the government to make the country safer for economic growth and development.

He commended the efforts of the security agencies in. the ongoing total war against insurgency activities in the country

The Minister who urged the media not to be swayed by terrorists propaganda, noting that terrorism drives on publicity, reiterated the commitment of the present administration to rid off the country all criminal elements wherever they might operating in the efforts to boost the nation’s economic development.
(TRIBUNE)

Metro

Man Stabs Friend To Death Over Woman In Ilorin

Published

2 days ago

October 23, 2025

Editor

The Kwara State Police Command has confirmed that a 21-year-old Gafar, on Tuesday evening, allegedly stabbed 25-year-old Usman Tunde to death during an argument over a choice of woman in Ilorin.

The state police spokesperson, SP Adetoun Ejire-Adeyemi, said the command received a distress call around 2:30 am on Wednesday and promptly dispatched officers to the scene.

She said the police team that went to the culprit couldn’t find him, as he and the entire extended family in the family compound had fled to an unknown destination.

The Guardian Newspaper reliably learnt that Gafar and Usman, from Ile Olowo in the same area, were close friends in the neighbourhood of Oja Gboro.

According to an eyewitness, the deceased and his alleged killer started the argument over a woman in the Oja Gboro at a sugarcane vendor stand.

A police source (names withheld) later informed that the light argument later degenerated to a violent confrontation with Gafar, allegedly stabbing Tunde in the chest with a knife.

“We heard that they were arguing over a girlfriend they were both interested in, and that before the passers-by could stop them, Gafar had allegedly brought out a knife and stabbed and killed his friend,” the police source added.

Meanwhile, the victim, a resident of Ile-Soro 2, in Oja Gboro, Ilorin, was immediately rushed to a nearby hospital, from where he was referred to the General Hospital, Ilorin, where he was confirmed dead on arrival.

Metro

Nigerian Military Kills 50 Jihadists During Army Base Raids

Published

2 days ago

October 23, 2025

Editor

Nigeria’s military said on Thursday it had killed 50 armed insurgents using drones to carry out multiple attacks on army bases in the volatile northeast.

The authorities in Africa’s most populous country and one of its powerhouses have been fighting the Boko Haram jihadist group and its Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) splinter for 16 years.

The groups are seeking to establish a caliphate in the northeast.

In the early hours of Thursday, troops aided by fighter jets engaged insurgents who had launched coordinated attacks on bases in the towns of Dikwa, Mafa, and Gajibo in Borno state, as well as in Katarko in neighbouring Yobe state, a military spokesman said in a statement.

The military did not say which faction was behind the attacks, but intelligence sources told AFP that ISWAP militants were responsible.
“The combined ground and air efforts resulted in the neutralisation of over 50 terrorists across all the locations,” Lieutenant Colonel Sani Uba, said in the statement.

Ground and aerial pursuits were still ongoing to track down “over 70 of the wounded” insurgents, Uba said.

Soldiers seized dozens of kalashnikovs, machine guns and rocket-propelled grenades (RPGs) from the militants, he said.

In a post on X, the army shared pictures showing soldiers standing over a row of several dead bodies said to be of jihadist fighters and their weapons at one of the targeted military bases.

Uba said several soldiers were wounded in the fighting, without giving numbers.

“Some vehicles and buildings were also gutted by fire from the terrorists’ armed drones and RPG fire during the battle, especially in Mafa and Dikwa, where a part of the defences were momentarily breached,” he said.

Armed insurgents are increasingly using drones, often commercial models modified to drop bombs or grenades.

A resident in Mafa showed AFP videos and pictures from the area showing the charred carcasses of several trucks and said the militants had set them ablaze during the attack.

Mafa locals said the trucks were mostly laden with cement heading to Chad, whose drivers had parked for the night for fear of militant attacks on the highway.

The conflict has killed more than 40,000 and displaced around two million people in northeastern Nigeria.

It has spilled over into neighbouring countries, prompting the creation of a regional military coalition to combat the Islamist groups.

Earlier this month, at least 14 soldiers were killed in two attacks in Borno state blamed on insurgents — one at an army base, the other when a military convoy was ambushed.

Since 2019, soldiers have shut down some smaller army bases and moved into larger, fortified garrisons known as “super camps” in an attempt to better resist militant attacks.

Metro

Nnamdi Kanu Protest: Court Fixes Oct 29 To Hear Police Suit Against Sowore, Others

Published

2 days ago

October 23, 2025

Editor

The Federal High Court in Abuja has fixed October 29 for the hearing of the suit filed by the police against Omoyele Sowore and other conveners of the #FreeNnamdiKanuNow protest held on October 20.

The suit, originally scheduled for October 20 for the respondents in the ex parte motion to show cause why the interim order made by the court should be vacated, could not proceed.

The hearing was stalled as a result of the protest, which was held on the same day, crippling the court activities at the Federal High Court in Abuja.

Justice Mohammed Umar had issued an interim order restraining Sowore and others from protesting for the release of Nnamdi Kanu in some sensitive areas in Abuja.

Justice Umar barred the protesters from demonstrating around the Aso Rock Villa, National Assembly, Force Headquarters, Court of Appeal, Eagle Square and Shehu Shagari Way, pending the hearing of the motion on notice.

The judge also made an order of abridgement of time “within which the respondents will respond to the application on notice to cause the ex-parte order be set aside on Monday, the 20th of October, 2025 at 9.00am,” before adjourning until Oct. 20 for hearing of the motion on notice.

The order followed the ex parte motion moved by the police lawyer, Wisdom Madaki, on behalf of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (FRN), on Friday.

The Police Force, in the ex parte motion, marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/2202/2025, had sued Sowore, Sahara Reporters Ltd, and Sahara Reporters’ Media Foundation as 1st to 3rd respondents.

The force also joined the Take It Back Movement, TIB, for the Transformation of Nigeria, Or Any Form of Organization or Person (s) acting with Either Express or Implied Instruction, or Any Other Organization or group with a similar intention; and Unknown Persons as the 4th to 5th respondents, respectively.

In the affidavit supporting the ex parte motion, Bassey Ibithan, a police officer attached to the Directorate of Legal Services at Force Headquarters, Abuja, averred that if not granted, the protest might threaten national security.

DAILY POST reports that Sowore had planned to organise the protest for the release of Kanu, the detained leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB.

The 2019 and 2023 presidential candidate of African Action Congress, ACC, had mobilised for what he called a planned peaceful protest against Kanu’s detention on October 20.

A number of persons were reported to have been arrested during the protest, including Kanu’s special counsel, Aloy Ejimakor, who is billed for arraignment on October 24 at a Kuje Magistrate Court in Abuja.