Synergy Among Forces Led To Arrest Of Ansaru Leaders – CDS

The Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, has attributed the recent arrest of top Ansaru terrorist leaders to increased synergy among Nigeria’s security formations.

Naija News reports that Musa disclosed this on Thursday during an appearance on Channels Television’s Politics Today, where he commended the collaboration between the Nigerian Army, Navy, and Air Force in the successful operation.

The defence chief described the capture of the terrorist commanders as a breakthrough.

Musa said, “On the Ansaru commanders that were arrested, this is one of the most significant arrests that have been made.

“Getting the two of them shows how detailed and how the planning went through, and that was how they were able to pick the two of them. These are guys that were hunted for a very long time. It shows that the intelligence and operational works are working together.”

According to Musa, the arrested men had been on the run for years, forcing the military to conduct relentless covert operations.

“Our men work day and night, picking these guys. So, I can assure you that it is going to be better,” he stated.

He stressed that the success was made possible because all security agencies worked in harmony, unlike in the past when operations were disjointed.

On Saturday, the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, announced the arrest of two leaders of terrorist groups in Nigeria.

The suspects are Mahmud Muhammad Usman, leader of Ansaru, an al-Qaeda-linked group, and Mahmud al-Nigeri, head of Mahmuda. This relatively new but violent faction has staged multiple attacks in the north-central region this year.

“These two men have been on Nigeria’s most-wanted list for years. They jointly spearheaded multiple attacks on civilians, security forces and critical infrastructure,” Ribadu told journalists.

According to Ribadu, the arrested leaders were behind the 2022 Kuje prison attack, which led to the escape of dozens of Boko Haram members, as well as the 2013 assault on Niger’s uranium facility.

He noted that both men are also wanted internationally for terrorism-related offences.