Nigerian officials said Saturday they had arrested the alleged leaders of a jihadist group behind a 2022 jailbreak in the capital Abuja that temporarily freed hundreds of inmates.

Nigeria's National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, told journalists that Mahmud Muhammad Usman and Mahmud al-Nigeri had been captured during a "targeted operation... between May and July".

He said they were the leaders of Jama'atu Ansarul Muslimina fi-Biladis Sudan -- commonly known as Ansaru.

"These two men have been on Nigeria's most-wanted list for years" and were also on international wanted lists, said Ribadu.

"They jointly spearheaded multiple attacks on civilians, security forces, and critical infrastructure," he added.

In a brazen raid in July 2022, jihadists used guns and explosives to blast their wa

See Full Page